


Diary of An Almost-Human

by SpecialAgentFiction



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Eventual Relationship (Maybe), F/M, Family, Frenemies, Friendship, Just General Vampire Shenanigans, Old Friends, Pissed Off Vampires, Protective Big Sister, Slow Burn, Team We Hate Katherine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-24 02:59:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 74,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9696719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpecialAgentFiction/pseuds/SpecialAgentFiction
Summary: Isabella Maxwell is the only descendant of one of Mystic Falls most prestigious founding families.As a child she was taken in by the Salvatore family and 150 years later, the Gilberts opened their home to her.Hiding her true (vampiric) self, she now spends her days desperately trying to keep her siblings and their friends out of any trouble that may find them as the infamous Salvatore brothers make their return to the little town.





	1. Dear Diary

**_Dear Diary, today is the day I have been dreading since it all happened. Today I have to smile and pretend that this isn't the third time I've had to move on from the death of those closest to me. Today I will not be staring into a glass of bourbon and wallowing in grief. Today I will start fresh, be someone new; I have to be, for them._ **

* * *

With a sad smile, Isabella closed the diary and lifted the family photo from the side-table, stroking the captured faces of the family who had taken her in, she sighed. _For them._ Placing the frame back in its shrine-like position next to her bed, she stood, opened her door and started the day:

"Jeremy! Elena! If you two don't get your butts out of bed I will drop you off embarrassingly close to the school entrance in front of everyone!" She waited for a response and rolled her eyes when none came. "Do I really need to break out my Team Gilbert t-shirt and hug you before you go in?" The sound of bed sheets being flung back and two pairs of feet hitting the floors of their respective rooms brought a smile to her face. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Oh God, I am so late!" Jenna groaned as she stumbled out her bedroom and towards the stairs. "I am so bad at this! Can you make sure they-" She gestured to the front door as she struggled to hold her shoes, bag and jacket.

"Jenna, go: we'll be fine. I've got this and you have that big presentation today: don't be later than necessary."

"You're a lifesaver, Iz." She shot her a grateful smile before hopping down the stairs and out of the house.

"What do you guys want for breakfast?" She called out to the sleepy teenagers, already knowing what the shared answer would be.

"Coffee please!" Elena responded while a grunt was the only reply from Jeremy's room.

"Right, teenagers plus caffeine, equals a successful first day." Izzy mumbled as she too headed for the staircase.

* * *

"Okay, so I was going to pack you both lunch with adorable notes attached to the bags but instead I figured this would be more appreciated." She held out two handfuls of cash.

"I'm good thanks, Iz." Elena smiled while Jeremy simply grabbed the money.

"Great, so, I'm taking you…" She pointed to Elena. "…But you're _too cool_ for the car so you're walking?" She quirked an eyebrow at Jeremy who turned, and started the long walk to the school.

"Ignore him." Elena sighed. "You know he loves you, Izzy."

"Of course I do." She responded as they got into the waiting car. "I'm me, who doesn't love me?" She smiled as Elena laughed what could possibly be her first proper laugh all summer. "So, Bonnie's house?"

* * *

"So Grams is telling me I'm psychic. Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know: crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already!" Izzy laughed at Bonnie's retelling of her weekend with her grandmother. "But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands…"

"Elena?" Izzy cut off the girl as she noticed Elena staring into space. "You okay?"

"I did it again, didn't I?" Izzy nodded as she drove through the centre of town. "I…I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were telling me that…"

"That I'm psychic now."

"Okay then, predict something. About me." Izzy challenged the girl with a chuckle.

"Right…I see…" Bonnie didn't finish her sentence as a black blur flew into the windshield of the car causing the car to go skidding into the pavement. "What was that?!"

"Elena? Are you okay?" Isabella turned to the girl who she considered her sister to find her clutching the edges of her seat. "Elena?"

"It's okay…I'm fine."

"It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere." Izzy ignored the girl in the backseat and instead kept her gaze on Elena.

"Really, I'm fine: I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life." She sent Izzy a small smile.

"I predict this year is going to be kick ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you are **both** going to be beyond happy." Bonnie leant forward to grasp their hands. "You hear me: extreme happiness for Isabella Maxwell and Elena Gilbert." With a shared smile the journey to the High School was resumed.

* * *

"Okay so I just have to fill in some paperwork and then I will leave you alone for the day, I promise." Izzy told Elena as the trio exited the car. "Man, I do not miss this." She mumbled as they walked through the mass of students greeting each other on the front lawn.

"Major lack of male real estate so far." Bonnie observed as they weaved their way through the corridors. "Look at the shower curtain on Kelly Beech. She looks like a hot…can I still say tranny mess?"

"Nope, that's over." Elena laughed and Izzy quelled a smile at seeing her sister so happy.

"Ahh, find a man, coin a new phrase: it's going to be a busy year." Bonnie sighed.

"Is that Matt?" Izzy asked as they all turned to see a very sad-looking jock trying to not glare at Elena as she waved to him.

"He hates me." She declared as he ignored her and stalked off.

That is not hate." Izzy told her. "That's: you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly I'm listening to Air Supply's greatest hits." She joked. "Don't fret little sis, he's not going to cause drama on the first day."

"Speaking of drama…" Bonnie trailed off as they entered the school corridors and a very bubbly blonde bounced into view. "Hey Caroline!"

"Elena, Izzy! Oh, my God, how are you?" She embraced the sisters. "It's so good to see you!" She beamed at them both. "How are they? Are they good?" She asked Bonnie.

"Caroline, we're right here and we're fine, thank you." Elena assured the blonde.

"Also, I'm 21 so you don't need to look after me, God knows your mother has been trying to do that all summer." Izzy smiled at the girl. "Anyway, I have to go fill out those forms." She moved away from the high-schoolers. "Have a good day, and call me if you need anything!" She called behind her as she made her way to the office.

"Your sister has amazing shoes…" Caroline sighed as Izzy's form became engulfed by the crowds of kids. "…do you think she'd let me borrow some?"

"Not in the slightest."

* * *

"Is there anything else I need to fill out?" Isabella asked the secretary as she signed her name on the last piece of paper.

"No, I think that's the last of it, thank you Miss Maxwell, and I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, I mean Jeremy and Elena lost their parents, they just took me in." Isabella adjusted her bag awkwardly.

"Family is family, Miss Maxwell, blood or not." She smiled at the woman behind the desk before leaving.

"Hey Jeremy, good batch, man!" She stiffened as she heard the comment shouted across the hallway and with a frown turned to see Jeremy smirking as he strode into the bathrooms.

"I am going to kick his ass." She mumbled before stalking down the corridor and following him into the men's room.

"Whoa! This is the boys' bathroom!" Izzy glared at the kid.

"Oh please, as if you have anything I've never seen before." She watched as he practically fled from the room.

"What are you do-" She cut Jeremy's objections off as she grabbed his face and inspected his pupils.

"Classes haven't even started and you're already stoned?!" She released his face in disgust.

"No I'm not."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Where is it? If I find it I will flush it!" She started rummaging through his pockets.

"Stop, all right?! You need to chill yourself, all right?" She ignored him and grabbed his backpack of the floor. "Look, stop! I don't have anything on me. Are you crazy?"

"Crazy?" She dropped the bag. "You haven't seen crazy! I have given you a pass all summer but now I am putting an end to this stupidity! You are going to destroy yourself and that'll destroy your sister! Hasn't she been through enough?"

"I lost my parents too, alright!" He shouted. "Not just Elena!"

"Yes, but you weren't in the car! For god's sake Jeremy, no one is saying you haven't lost as much as she has but you need to start dealing with it instead of getting high every time the grief starts coming back!" She raked a hand through her hair as she felt the anger dissipate. "I know I'm not your sister by blood Jeremy, but I love you as though you're my brother because you all took me in when I thought I had no one and then got a lousy deal in return. That is **not** fair but we have to live with it, do you really think they'd be proud seeing you like this?"

"I don't need this." She felt all the fight leave her as he pushed past and left the bathroom.

* * *

She let the door slam behind her as she re-entered the house. Sliding down the wood she let out a long breath as she sat on the floor: Elena was in safe hands at school, she knew Bonnie would look after her and let her know if anything happened, however, the Jeremy situation was getting worse.

All summer she'd been keeping an eye on Jeremy and his method of relaxation; he thought he was being so smart and careful but she'd seen Matt's sister - Vikki Donovan, sneaking out of his room, accompanied by the smell of well smoked weed, on more than one occasion. She'd let him think no one had noticed all summer, hoping he would clean up his act in time for school, however, this morning had proved that was not the case.

With a sigh she heaved herself off the floor and up the stairs towards her room where a half-finished book on the history of Mystic Falls was waiting to be finished; why had she decided that the school textbooks needed updating?

* * *

"Hey Sid." She greeted the barman at The Grill with a smile. "The usual please." She slumped onto the bar stool as a glass of the bars best whiskey was placed in front of her. "Thanks." She glanced around the bar and smiled at the sheer amount of teenagers that were filling the booths. "Busy this evening?"

"I always forget just how many kids are in this town." He sighed as she drained her glass. "And how many of them think I'm going to give them a beer."

"Aww Sid, you know they're just testing you." She smiled at the man before turning her attention to the table occupied by Bonnie and Matt.

"Hey guys." She greeted them. "Is Elena meeting you?"

"Yeah, she should be here any minute." Bonnie smiled. "Is something wrong?"

"Nope, just don't want to be drinking in the same bar as my kid sister and her friends." She joked. "So, how was her first day?"

"Great actually, there's this new hottie and he seems to be into her so I'd say a successful day all round." She beamed while Matt looked more than a little put-out.

"Wonderful!" She smiled at the pair. "Well, have a great time but don't stay out too late: that's my job." She waved good-bye to the pair before exiting the bar racking her brains for a quitter place to drink.

* * *

"Hey party-animal." Izzy greeted Elena as the younger girl closed the bedroom door behind her. "What's up?" She asked as Elena joined her on the bed.

"Nothing I just…had a really great day." She smiled. "I met a guy."

"Ooh, tell all!" Izzy sat upright on her bed as Elena got comfortable.

"His name is Stefan and he's kinda new to town even though he was born here: his family moved around a lot and then his parents died so now he lives with his uncle. We have History, English and French together!" She finished with a small smile.

"And…?" Izzy asked, sensing there was more.

"And…he's really cute!" Elena laughed as Izzy whooped. "He's going to the party tomorrow too."

"Party?"

"The back-to-school thing, at the falls." She told her. "Caroline told me to tell you that you're coming too."

"Am I?"

"Apparently, as a chaperone."

"Well, who am I to argue with Caroline Forbes?" The pair laughed. "I'm glad you had a good day Elena; you deserve it." The pair exchanged a smile before lying back on the bed together and staring up at the ceiling. "So, how cute are we talking?"

* * *

The falls of Mystic Falls were beautiful during the day, but at night, the sight could be described as spectacular. The distant sounds of rushing water filled the air as Izzy strolled through the makeshift car park being used for the back-to-school party. As she wove her way through the trees, the calming music of the waterfalls were soon replaced with Top40 pop and chatting teenagers guzzling beer.

"You made it!" Izzy smiled as Bonnie and Elena suddenly appeared beside her.

"Of course I did; when do I ever miss a party?" She grinned at them before swiping the bottle from Elena's hand and draining its contents. "Just being a good sister." She winked at them. "Is the new guy here yet?" She asked and watched as a blush stained Elena's cheeks.

"You mean Mr Romance-Novel-Stare?" Bonnie teased as Elena's blush intensified. "Not that we've seen."

"You mean you can't sense his presence?" Izzy joked as she tapped Bonnie's temple.

"Oh yeah; psychic…Right, I forgot. Okay, so give me a sec, Grams says I have to concentrate." She scrunched her eyes closed.

"Wait, you need a crystal ball." Izzy handed her the now empty beer bottle and frowned as Bonnie's face became startled as their hands touched before abruptly pulling away.

"What happened?" Elena asked as Bonnie hand fell to her side, her eyes still wide with shock.

"That was so weird: when I touched you I saw this old house."

"What?" Izzy asked, feeling her throat go dry at the young girl's words.

"A house." Bonnie repeated. "There were two men, but it was all so blurry..." She shook her head. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah…Ok, I'm gonna get a refill." Izzy and Elena watched as Bonnie pretty much ran from them.

"What the hell just happened?" Elena asked in disbelief as Bonnie blended into the crowd.

"You heard her…she's drunk…" Izzy mumbled. "Look, I gotta go, I have a…" She racked her brains for a suitable excuse. "…a date…I have a date…with a person." Elena frowned at her. "So I gotta go." She began to walk away from her. "Um, don't get too drunk and make sure you call me or Liz to come pick you up, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Elena responded as she watched her sister head back towards the cars. "Well that was weird…"

"What was weird?" Elena jumped as a deep voice spoke behind her. "Hey." She smiled as she recognised the voice's owner. "Are you okay?"

"Stefan, hey…I'm fine it's…it's just Bonnie and my sister, they're... You know what? Never mind. You're…here." She grinned up at him.

"I'm here." He smiled at her. "…Great party…" He gestured to the obviously drunk teens surrounding them.

"Yeah, it sucks…you don't have to be nice about it." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, I've never really been very good at, uh, chit-chat." He explained as they began walking away from the centre of the party. "I never have the right thing to say…"

"Well for someone who doesn't know what to say, you're kind of the talk of the town." Elena joked as they reached a small bridge that was free of any party-makers.

"Am I?"

"Mm-Hmm. Mysterious new guy, oh, yeah."

"Well, you have the mysterious thing going, too…" He nudged her shoulder as they stared up at the falls. "…twinged in sadness.

"What makes you think I'm sad?" Elena frowned at the thought; although she had expected the whole back-to-school thing to suck, Bonnie had been making her laugh all day and Mr Romance-Novel-Stare's attention was definitely making her happy.

"Just a feeling." He shrugged.

"You don't want to know, it's…it's not exactly party conversation." She told him as she wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to fight the autumn chill.

"Well, I don't think we're technically at the party anymore so…" He gestured to the lack of people surrounding them and the fact that the music was a distant noise. She took a deep breath as their eyes connected.

"Last spring…" She began. "…my parents' car drove off of a bridge into the lake…and I was in the backseat. I survived, but…they didn't." She returned her stare to the waterfalls. "So that's my story." She murmured.

"You won't be sad forever, Elena." She turned to see the sincerity in his eyes as he spoke and she gave a small smile in return. "I mean, at least you have your sister…"

"Izzy?" She smiled at the thoughts of her sister. "Yeah she's been awesome, I mean even though she's grieving too you wouldn't know it; she spent all summer looking after my brother and me till our Aunt Jenna arrived and even now she's pretty much our primary guardian…she's kinda my rock…"

The pair shared a smile before enjoying the distant sounds of the party mixing with the crashing water surrounding them.

"I like Bonnie; she seems like a good friend." Stefan noted as they leant against the bridge railing to watch the edges of the party below.

"Best friend in the world." Elena smiled as she raised her cup in a silent toast to Bonnie.

"…And Matt, he can't seem to, uh, take his eyes off of us." Stefan nodded towards the blonde jock staring up at them from the river bank.

"Matt's that friend since childhood that you start dating because you owe it to yourselves to see if you can be more." Elena sighed as she too noticed him standing with Bonnie and Caroline.

"And?"

"And then my parents died, and everything changes." She turned away from the small group to focus on Stefan. "Anyway, Matt and I, together we just, I don't know, it wasn't, um…It wasn't…" She struggled to find the right word.

"Passionate?"

"No…" She smiled to herself. "…No it wasn't passionate." She frowned as small veins began to become visible underneath Stefan's eyes. "Hey, um, are you okay? Um, your eye, it just, it's…"

"Oh um…" He turned away and began rubbing them. "Yeah, no, It's um…it's nothing." He kept his head down. "Um, are you thirsty? I'm gonna get us a drink." Elena frowned as he took the cup from her and yet another person left her suddenly.

"What is going on tonight?"

* * *

Izzy groaned as the incessant ringing of her phone woke her.

"Whoever this is, it better be good." She growled into the receiver as her eyes sought out the time from her bedside clock. "What do you mean there's been an accident?!" She sat upright in bed as Elena's panicked voice came through the phone. "I'll be right there!" She ended the call and stumbled out of bed as she searched for her discarded clothes before running out of the house.

* * *

"Elena?" She called out her sisters' name as she jogged through the abandoned party area in the forest. "Elena?!" She searched through the small crowd of people still loitering by the bonfire. "Oh my God! Elena!" She felt the girl crash into her as her arms wove around her back. "Are you okay? What happened? Is it Jer-"

"We're fine." She turned to see Jeremy standing behind her. She reached out and pulled him into her embrace too as she realised they were fine.

"What happened?" She asked as she released them and they found an empty log to sit on.

"It's Vikki." Elena told her as Jeremy stayed silent. "We found her in the woods, she's been attacked by an animal!" Izzy felt her back stiffen at the words. "She was losing so much blood and…" She gestured to the ambulance that Vikki was being loaded into.

"Is Matt here?"

"Yeah, he's going with her." Izzy watched as Matt climbed into the back of the ambulance as Elena spoke.

"What about Bonnie and Caroline? Where are they?"

"Right here." Bonnie announced their arrival as she struggled to support a very clearly drunk Caroline. "Will you take us home?" Izzy felt her heart break as she saw the fright in Bonnie's eyes.

"Of course." She stood. "Come here…" She pulled the four teens to her in a tight hug. "…I've got you all."

* * *

"Never criticise late night coffee shops, guys." Izzy told the car full of kids as she re-entered the black SUV. "They are a one way ticket to sober-ville." She joked as she handed the tray of coffees backwards. "Now, keep her drinking because I am not delivering a drunk 16 year old to the Sheriff." She pointed at Caroline. "And make sure she knows that if she throws up, she cleans it."

"Thanks, Izzy." Caroline mumbled as she warmed her hands on one of the cups. "You're the best."

"Yup, and don't you forget it." She mumbled as she slowly pulled away from the coffee shop and began the slow drive to their respective homes.

"So, did that new guy show up?" She asked trying to change the subject as Elena and Bonnie pretty much force fed Caroline coffee.

"Yeah, but apparently he only has eyes for Elena." Izzy smiled as Caroline pouted.

"He does not." Elena blushed as she blew on the hot coffee.

"You two did spend pretty much the whole party together." Bonnie pointed out as Izzy wolf-whistled from the front seat, ignoring Jeremy's eye rolls.

"What did you say his name was?" Izzy asked as Caroline's eyes became clearer.

"Stefan." Elena sighed wistfully. "Stefan Salvatore."

* * *

**_Dear Diary, today I heard a name that has evaded me for 15 years: Salvatore. Why is it, we are always drawn back to this place? Why can't we escape the lure of Mystic Falls?_ **

**_Keeping my secret from Elena and Jeremy is only going to get harder now we're all back especially after tonight's 'animal attack', which is no doubt connected to their sudden reappearance, because the last 145 years have taught me one thing: if one Salvatore brother is here, then it won't be long before the other arrives._ **

**_It's been 15 years since the infamous reunion of the Salvatore brothers and Isabella Maxwell. 15 years away from those I considered brothers. 15 years since it all ended but this, tonight…is just the beginning and I know it's only a matter of time until Damon and I cross paths again._ **

**_This time, there'll be no destruction, no hasty fleeing from our home, this time; I will protect those most important to me, and I_ _won't_ _let Damon break my family apart and destroy the life I've built here, not again because wherever he goes, people die but not here, I won't allow it._ **

Isabella closed her diary and clutched the locket dangling from her neck. The lapis lazuli glinted in the moonlight streaming through her windows as she slid a piece of paper from the back pages of her diary, flipping it, she gently traced the outline of the faded ink before moving her gaze to the image of three people all posing awkwardly for the image while trying to hide their grins:

_Damon, Stefan and Isabella - 1860_


	2. The Night of The Comet

**_Dear Diary, this morning is…different, there is change, I can sense it…feel it. For the first time in a long time there is happiness surrounding me, engulfing me in its warm embrace._ **

**_I can hear Elena getting ready for the day while humming some uplifting tune and Jeremy practically ran from the house this morning to go visit Vikki. Their sudden changes remind me of what it was like before the accident, where Jeremy and Grayson would discuss the result of some game while Elena showed Miranda and I her new cheer moves before they left for school._ **

**_Harmony is returning, and I know it's due to the Salvatore's… the only thing I'm not sure about it, is whether that's a good thing…_ **

* * *

"Do I look adult?" Izzy glanced up from the newspaper in her hand as Jenna entered the kitchen. "As in: respectfully parental?" She gestured to the midnight blue dress and heels she wore.

"Depends on where you're going." Izzy replied a she turned her attention away from her relaxing breakfast and towards the stressing red-head.

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference." Jenna told her as Izzy grimaced. "So, hair up or down."

"I'm gonna need to see the options." Izzy said as Elena entered the room.

"Up." Jenna demonstrated as she gathered all of her hair into a bun.

"Sexy stewardess." Izzy complimented as Elena joined her at the breakfast bar/judging table.

"Down." Jenna let her hair fall around her shoulders.

"Boozy housewife." Elena commented with a wry smile as Jenna's frowned.

"Up it is!" She pulled the hair tie from her wrist and began rearranging her hair. "You're feisty today." She commented as Elena stole Izzy's mug of coffee.

"I feel good, which is rare, so I've decided to go with it: fly free, walk on the sunshine, and all that stuff." She and Izzy shared a smile before the elder stole her mug back. "Where's Jeremy?"

"He left early." Jenna told the duo. "Something about getting to wood-shop early to finish a bird-house." The sisters raised their eyebrows at Jenna who slowly caught on. "There is no wood-shop, is there?"

"No…" Izzy sighed.

"Great." She finished her hair and stared at Izzy who had returned to her breakfast. "Are you ready to go?"

"Pardon?" She asked around a mouth full of toast.

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference..."

"Wait, I have to go too?" Izzy whined as Elena giggled behind her.

"You're a guardian too." Jenna reminded her. "So, up…" She ushered her out of her seat. "…get dressed and be ready to go in 10."

"10 minutes?!" Izzy exclaimed as she left the kitchen. "You're just doing this so you'll look better than me!" She called out as she ran up the stairs.

"Yeah…pretty much." Jenna smiled at Elena.

* * *

"You know, next time I have to act my age, I'd really appreciate more than 10 minutes notice." Izzy grumbled as she, Jenna and Elena exited her car.

"Oh shut up, you look fine." Jenna admonished as she gave Izzy a once over. "10 minutes and you still look amazing; oh to be young again." She sighed as Izzy struck a pose in her pencil skirt and heels.

"Oh god, my head!" The trio laughed as Caroline's groans filled their ears. "I think my head's about to explode!"

"Didn't get much sleep, huh?" Jenna teased as they walked into the building.

"Yeah, sure, that's why I keep dry-heaving." Caroline said sarcastically as she rummaged for some sunglasses to help ease her throbbing head. "I can't believe I didn't get his number!" She mumbled to herself.

"Who's number?" Izzy asked.

"Some guy at The Grill this morning." Bonnie explained, gesturing to the coffee in her hands. "Caroline met him while I was in the bathroom."

"Yeah, well feel free to conjure his name and number anytime soon, Witchy." Caroline sighed.

"Why didn't you just talk to him?" Elena asked as they entered the school.

"I don't know: I was still drunk!" Caroline pouted as she and Bonnie waved goodbye and headed for their classes, while Jenna and Izzy set off towards History.

"Hey Matt!" Elena called out to her childhood friend. "How's Vikki doing?" She asked as they got closer.

"She's good but apparently a couple of campers have gone missing too so…"

"She's lucky she's okay." Elena smiled at him. "Did she say what kind of animal it was?"

"She said it was a vampire." Matt sighed, the tiredness of staying with his sister all night clearly evident on his face.

"What?"

"Yeah, she wakes up last night and mutters "vampire" and then passes out." He shook his head in disbelief as he spoke. "I'm pretty sure she was drunk." He said as they walked towards their classes. "So, what's up with you and the new guy?" He nodded towards Stefan as the boy rummaged in his locker.

"Matt, the last thing that I want to do is hurt you…"Elena said awkwardly as Stefan turned and smiled at her.

"You know, I'm…I'm actually gonna go back to the hospital." He said as Stefan began approaching them. "I want to be there when Vicki wakes up, get the real story about last night." He explained before turning, and walking in the opposite direction.

"Hey." Stefan greeted as Matt vanished from her side.

"Hey." She smiled nervously at him.

"I brought it." He reached into his back-pack and pulled out a book. "Told you."

" 'Wuthering Heights' by Ellis Bell." Elena read the cover of the obviously old book. "You know, I can't believe she didn't use her real name." She recalled their conversation from last night after she'd invited him into the kitchen when everyone was asleep.

"All the Bronte sisters used pseudonyms. It was the time. Female writers weren't very accepted then."

"Where did you get it?" She asked as she turned the fragile book in her hands, examining it closely.

"Uh, it was passed down…through the family." He explained quickly as Elena held it out for him. "I have lots of books, so go ahead: keep it."

"Oh, no. I…" He pushed it back towards her. "…but I would like to read it again." She cradled the book. "I promise I'll give it back!" She beamed up at him.

"Ok." He conceded and shared her smile.

* * *

"As Jeremy's teacher, I'm concerned." Izzy glanced around the classroom as she and Jenna sat in the student's seats in front of Mr Tanner. "It's the third day of school and he's skipped six of his classes." He told them and Izzy felt her eyes widen in shock.

"Mr Tanner, are you aware that his parents died?" Jenna asked as she sat primly in front of him.

"Four months ago, a great loss. Car accident; Wickery Bridge, if I remember correctly. And you two are related to the family how? The, uh, mother's kid sister and house guest?"

"Younger sister and adopted daughter, actually." Izzy snapped as she glared at him.

"Right." He smiled condescendingly.

"Six classes? Are you sure? I mean, that's kind of hard to do." Jenna asked, effectively changing the subject.

"Not when you're on drugs." Izzy felt her back stiffen at his words. "It's his attempt at coping, Ms. Sommers. And the signs are there: he's moody, withdrawn, argumentative, hungover…are there any other relatives in the picture?" He asked and Izzy felt her eyebrow rise.

"We're their sole guardians." Jenna told him, clearly having enough of his judging comments.

"Well…could there be?"

"What are you suggesting exactly, Mr Tanner?" Izzy asked as she glared at him from the plastic seat.

"It's an impossible job, isn't it, raising two teens?" He asked with a dry smile.

"It's been tough, but we're coping." Jenna and Izzy shared a smile.

"Wrong answer." Their smiles faded. "It is an extremely impossible job, especially for two people who have no experience or families of their own, so anything less than that and you're not doing it properly."

"Well, thank you for this enlightening meeting, Mr Tanner." Izzy said as she rose. "Please get in touch if you have any further comments on how we're raising Jeremy and Elena wrong." With a final glare at the History teacher/Football coach, she and Jenna turned and left the classroom, their heels echoing on the tiled floors.

* * *

"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues." Izzy sighed as Elena told her about her trip to the Salvatore Boarding House.

"At least it's an ex-girlfriend. Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues…or amphetamine issues…" She trailed off as she listed the finer qualities of the people in her past as she drove through Mystic Falls. "Plus he shared all this with you so being open and honest with you means he's moved on."

"Oh no, Stefan didn't tell me any of this." Elena huffed. "His brother did."

"Brother?" Izzy asked, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, Damon." Izzy slammed her foot on the breaks and flipped the bird to the honking drivers behind her. "Izzy? Iz? Are you okay? I heard screeching and cars!"

"It's nothing, just a blown tyre." Izzy massaged her temples as she reassured the girl. "You were saying? Something about an ex?" She restarted the car and pulled over to avoid the angry drivers.

"Katherine." Izzy felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as Elena uttered **her** name. "I just can't believe he never mentioned anything about a hard past, I mean we talked all night and he never thought to-"

"You talked all night?" She shook her head clear of the name that had haunted her and chose instead to focus on this new information.

"Yeah, I saw him outside and so I invited him in for some coffee and we just-"

"You invited him in?!" She felt her blood boil: how could she have been so unaware of the fact that another vampire had been in her home?!

"Yeah…what's wrong, Iz?" Elena asked, concerned about her sister's reactions.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong I just…need to get this tyre sorted. Speak to you later!" She quickly jabbed at the car's dashboard and ended the call. Sighing, she held her head in her hands, she was right; when one appears, the other isn't far behind.

" _Raging family issues"_ \- Izzy scoffed at Elena's choice wording: that's not even the half of it.

* * *

Izzy eyed the doorframe of the Gilbert house sceptically as she opened the door. Tearing her eyes away from the invisible barrier that had now been broken by another vampire, she placed her heeled foot inside the foyer and smiled as Jenna and Elena's laughter flooded through the house.

"Well something smells good." She commented as she hung her coat and bag from the balustrade of the staircase.

"We made tacos." Elena grinned as she entered the kitchen and inhaled the enticing smells.

"Excellent choice." She kicked her heels off and joined them at the breakfast bar. "What are we chatting about?" She asked as she loaded her plate with the delicate taco shells loaded with meat.

"Stefan's family issues." Elena told her as they all sat munching at the bar. "More specifically: the fact that his brother was perfectly nice to me while Stefan just stared us down and ushered me out of the house, which by the way is amaazing!" She sung the last part as Izzy swallowed her meal around the huge lump in her throat.

"It could be way worse." Jenna reminded her.

"That is exactly what I said." Izzy agreed as she tried to push all thoughts of the Salvatore's from her brain.

"Yeah, something about mommy issues or cheating issues or…" She grappled for Izzy's last example.

"Amphetamine issues." Izzy reminded her as she wrapped her mouth around a taco shell. She glanced up to see the shocked looks on Elena and Jenna's faces. "What? I had a very…memorable life before your parents took me in." She shrugged at Elena's softened face as the front door opened.

"Jeremy?" Jenna called out to the teenage boy. "Jeremy! Where were you? You left while we were still talking!"

"God, no more stoner stories." He whined. "Look, Jenna, I get it: you were cool and that's…cool." He said as he hung over the bannister to speak to them in the kitchen, Izzy rolled her eyes as his obviously stoned state.

"Oh no, no, no!" Jenna strode from the kitchen as he tried to escape to his room. Seeing he wasn't stopping anytime soon, Izzy eyed the fruit bowl and slowly picked up an apple. Ensuring Elena was focused on her brother and not on her actions she deftly flicked her wrist and listened for it to hit its target.

"Ow! Jesus! How does an apple double as a projectile?!" Jeremy exclaimed as the apple fell to the floor with a thud, Izzy turned her attention to her nails as Elena stared at her in shock.

"Listen up!" Jenna's voice became full of authority as she took the opportunity of having Jeremy stunned on the stairs. "Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion!"

"Parental authority, I like it." Jeremy gave her a 'thumbs up' in response. "Sleep tight." Izzy heard Jenna's low growl as Jeremy continued his retreat upstairs.

"How did you do that?" Elena whispered.

"Hmmm?" Izzy feigned innocence.

"The apple… how?"

"…baseball…as a kid…I was the pitcher…" Izzy told her with a smile as she tried to hide her supernatural strength. "You never really lose it…we'll play sometime." She hopped off the stool, picked up her shoes and followed Jeremy upstairs, cursing all the way.

* * *

"Night of the comet, would you like a program?" Izzy asked the townsfolk as she and Elena strolled through the Town Square, hands full of pamphlets. "So he didn't call, huh?" She asked as Elena checked her phone for the third time in 10 minutes.

"Or text." She sighed as she pocketed her phone and handed a passer-by a program. "But I realized we never even exchanged that stuff. We've never gotten to the texting part."

"An important milestone in any relationship."

"Isn't it?" Elena smiled, grateful for her sisters' support. "The timing is wrong anyway." She sighed as they kept handing out the programs.

"When is it ever right?"

"I'm not ready, Iz." She told her.

"Who is?" Izzy hated playing devil's advocate but she needed Elena to sort her head out.

"At least I'm putting myself out there." She huffed and Izzy raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She halted their walk and turned to face Elena.

"Oh come on Iz, we both know your 'dates' are hook-ups with random guys." Izzy pursed her lips as Elena's words rang true.

"So?"

"So it's not healthy." She inwardly scoffed at the fact that her 'encounters' were nothing but healthy…for her anyway. "You need a proper date."

"I'm fine." She assured her. "Anyway, we're discussing your relationship problems, not mine." She nudged her sister as they continued their walk.

"Nope, no more fretting over Stefan." Elena affirmed. "Tonight is about the comet and spending time with you and my friends." They shared a smile before heading into the centre of the square where the festivities were already starting as the sun began to set.

* * *

It always amazed Izzy just how fast the sun sets once it gets going. As the sky turned black and the few street lights through Mystic Falls lit up, the Town Square became a buzz with activity as people congregated to view the infamous comet shower. Izzy practically had to tiptoe through the crowds as they laid out blankets to lie out and watch the sky.

"I got some candles." Caroline handed Izzy a thin candle as she approached the trip of girls. "Here." She lit the protected wick and watched as the light glinted off the glass bubbled around the candle.

"So, did you ever meet Mr Mysterious again?" Izzy asked as she helped light Elena's candle.

"Actually…" Caroline grinned at them all. "…I just saw him." She winked at them before sauntering off to find her mystery man.

"You know, I think I'm gonna go get a drink before this whole light show starts." Izzy mumbled as the lights of The Mystic Grill caught her eye. Ignoring the disapproving look from Elena, she blew out her candle and sauntered towards a glass of bourbon.

"I'm worried about her." Elena sighed as she and Bonnie watched Izzy try to avoid her heels sinking into the grass.

"I wouldn't be; she's strong." Bonnie told as Elena frowned at her words. "Psychic, remember?" She joked before moving to light Matt's candle as Stefan stopped in front of Elena.

"Hi." He said quietly.

"Hi…" She responded, trying to be as cold as he was yesterday.

"You know…that comet - it's been traveling across space for thousands of years. All alone." He said as they stood awkwardly.

"Yeah, Bonnie says it's a harbringer of evil."

"I think it's just a ball of snow and ice, trapped on a path that it can't escape. And once every 145 years, it gets to come home." Elena nodded and tried to side step him. "I'm sorry about yesterday…I wasn't myself." She stopped and looked up at him.

"You seem to spend a lot of time apologising."

"Well, I have a lot to apologize for." He paused. "Yesterday, that wasn't about you, ok?" He told her solemnly.

"You didn't tell me you had a brother."

"We're not close. It's uh…it's complicated." He told as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Anyways…he told me about your ex: Katherine." Stefan swallowed hard as her words washed over him.

"What did he say?"

"That she broke your heart."

"That…that was a long time ago." Elena shook her head and turned to stare up at the slow moving comet in the sky.

"When you lose someone, it stays with you…always reminding you of how easy it is to get hurt." She told him knowingly.

"Elena-" He stood behind her, his voice low in her ear.

"It's ok Stefan." She cut him off with a sigh. "I get it, you have no idea how much I get it. Complicated family? Check. Complicated ex? Check. Too complicated to even contemplate dating? Double check." She turned to face him again. "It's ok: we met, and we talked, and it was epic, but then the sun came up and reality set in. So…" She blew her candle out and walked back towards her congregated friends a short distance away.

"Okay, so even The Grill is chock full of people!" Izzy declared as she re-joined the group of teenagers claiming a picnic bench. "Can't a girl just drink in peace?" She sighed as she raised her bottle of scotch and drunk from it. "What?" She asked at Elena's sigh of disapproval. "Oh c'mon Elena, loosen up a bit!" She waved the bottle around. "It's comet night: Woo!"

"Has anyone seen Vikki?" Her mock celebration was interrupted by Jeremy.

"You're her stalker, you tell us." Tyler snapped as he lounged on the table top.

"I can't find." Jeremy ignored him and focused on the rest of the group.

"She probably found someone else to party with. Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced." Tyler continued.

"Pill pusher?" Elena asked.

"Ask him." Tyler nodded towards Jeremy.

"You wanna do this right now?" Jeremy took a step towards Tyler but was stopped by a strong hand on his chest.

"You're dealing?" Izzy asked in disbelief. "And after we had that lovely chat too…" She raised an eyebrow at him and watched him pale slightly at the anger in her eyes.

"She's never going to go for you." Tyler chuckled as he picked up Izzy's discarded bottle and took a swig.

"She already did." A slow smile spread over Jeremy's face. "Over and over and over again." He taunted.

"Yeah, right." He scoffed.

"You slept with Vikki Donovan?" Caroline sneered. "I mean, Vikki Donovan slept with you?"

"There's no way!" Tyler scoffed again.

"And I didn't even have to force her into it." The pair exchanged glares at Matt frowned.

"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" The jock asked his best friend.

"Nothing man." Tyler broke his glare and turned to Matt. "Just ignore him: he's a punk."

"You know what, how about all of you shut up and help me find my sister?" Matt asked, done with listening to the bickering as concern for his sister grew.

"We'll check the back of The Grill." Bonnie volunteered her and Caroline.

"I'll check the square." Matt said as he stalked off.

"I'll come with you!" Jeremy offered and began to follow him but a hand on the back of his collar yanked him back.

"Oh no, no, no…" Izzy turned him to face her. "You are coming with me." She glared at him. "Go with your friends, Elena, and stay safe." She dismissed the girl as she nudged Jeremy forward into a walk. "So that's your game now: dealing?"

"I'm not dealing." She scoffed.

"Don't lie to me Jer, you can fool your sister and your aunt, but not me: I thought we had a better relationship than that?" She let her hurt seep into her words and watched him sigh.

"I'm not dealing, Iz."

"Look, I'm not going to give you the tough love speech again, God knows between Jenna, Elena and myself we've covered it enough detail, but I'm not going to let this go!" She raked a hand through her hair. "Look Jer, there are three options here: 1) we send you to a therapist where you'll be forced to deal with it, 2) rehab where you'll sit in group and tell some stranger how you let your life fall apart…" She paused and watched him sneer at the first two options. "Or, 3) you talk to me and we deal with this between us; no Jenna, no Elena, just me and you." She took his hand and searched for the kid she used to know in his eyes.

"I vote for none of the above." He snatched his hand away from her and stalked off into the night.

Izzy felt herself deflate as she watched him walk away, falling into a bench, she cradled her head in her hands. Leaning backwards into the wood, she focused solely on the sounds around her and tried to isolate Vikki's voice. Having no luck in the immediate vicinity, she took a deep breath and stretched her supernatural hearing as far as she could until she made out three voices on the roof of The Grill:

"I don't need her to be dead, but you might…" She sucked in a breath as **His** velvety voice flooded her senses. "What attacked you the other night." Izzy tuned out all of her surrounding and listened for the very human heartbeat of Vikki Donovan on the rooftop.

"I don't know: an animal?" She sighed in relief as the girl spoke: obviously alive.

"Are you sure about that?" Her captor asked. "Think…think about it…think **really** hard." Izzy imagined him slowly circling Vikki as he spoke. "What attacked you?"

"A vampire." Vikki breathed out in shock as her memories flooded back.

"Who did this to you?" Izzy sat up straighter as He fished for more information.

"You did." She felt her hands curl into fists as Vikki confirmed her suspicions: Damon had been the one who attacked Vikki, and he was only getting started.

"Wrong."

"Don't…" Izzy rolled her eyes: Ah, Stefan, so good of him to jump in now.

"It was **Stefan**." Damon whispered into the girl's ear as they stared towards the teenage vampire. "Come here." Izzy imagined Damon turning Vikki to stare into his eyes as he compelled her. "Stefan Salvatore did this to you."

"Stefan Salvatore did this to me." Vikki repeated robotically.

"He's a vampire: a vicious, murderous monster." Izzy closed her eyes as she heard his voice drip with venom.

"Please Damon, don't do this." Stefan begged.

"If you couldn't fix it before…" Izzy heard him rip the bandage off Vikki's neck. "…I don't know what you can do now…" She heard Vikki stumble as she was no doubt thrown into Stefan's arms.

"Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak." Damon spat and Izzy groaned at the fact that that meant Stefan was still chowing down on bunnies and not human blood. "A couple of vampire parlour tricks is nothing compared to the power that you could have, that you now need." His words hit Stefan hard as he realised there was no way animal blood would give him the power he needed to break Damon's powerful compulsion. "But you can change that. Human blood gives you that." Damon taunted as Stefan's gaze lingered on Vikki's open wound. "You have two choices: you can feed and make her forget, or you can let her run, screaming "vampire" through the town square."

"That's what this is about?" Izzy breathed out as Damon's motives became clear to her.

"You want to expose me?" Stefan exclaimed.

"No! I want you to remember who you are!" Damon's voice boomed on the rooftop.

"Why? So what, so I'll feed? So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again? Well you ruined that a long time ago: you drove **everyone** away including Izzy who stood by you through everything but in the end it was too much, so, you know what? Let her go." He shook his head in defeat as he tried to calm Vikki in his arms. "Let her tell everyone that vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain me up, and let them drive a stake through my heart, because at least I'll be free of **you**." Stefan's words dripped with hate and Izzy felt tears prick at her eyes as Stefan's defeated voice broke her heart.

"Huh." Damon broke the silence that had fallen over the rooftop. "Wow." He seemed taken aback by Stefan's outburst. "Come here, sweetheart." He pulled Vikki out of Stefan's arms and whispered into her ear something that Izzy couldn't make out.

"What happened? Where am I? Oh, I ripped my stitches open. Ugh…" Izzy breathed a sigh of relief as Vikki appeared to remember nothing and instead focused on her wounds.

"You okay?" Stefan asked shakily.

"I took some pills, man: I'm good." Izzy heard her footsteps disappear off the roof and the door swing closed behind her as she re-entered The Grill.

"It's good to be home." Damon exclaimed as he stood on the edge of the roof, overlooking Mystic Falls. "Think I might stay a while. This town could use a bit of a wake-up call, don't you think?"

"What are you up to, Damon?" Ah the multi-million dollar question; Izzy leant forward to listen harder.

"That's for me to know and for you to. . .dot dot dot." She pictured his smirk. "Give Elena my best." Her relaxed demeanour rapidly changed at the sound of her sisters' name: what the hell did Damon want with her?

She extended her hearing one last time and sunk further into the bench when she was sure the roof was clear: what the hell was she going to do?

* * *

"Jer?" Elena called out to her brother as she reached the top floor of the Gilbert house and heard movement in his room. "You're home?"

"No, it's us!" Izzy called out as she and Jenna moved through the room.

"Also known as the hypocrite police." Jenna mumbled as she opened another drawer.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked as she leant against the doorframe.

"I've become my worst nightmare. The authority figure who has to violate a 15-year-old's privacy." Jenna rubbed her eyes as she closed the drawer empty of drugs.

"Jackpot!" Izzy called out as she pulled a bong out of a hiking boot.

"I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative." Jenna sighed as Izzy handed her the object."

"What brought this on?" Elena asked as Izzy perched on the edge of Jeremy's bed.

"Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed us good yesterday." Jenna told her as she joined Izzy.

"You got Tannered: been there." Elena sighed as she dropped her bag.

"Discover the impossible!" Izzy imitated Mr Tanner as she retrieved a small bag of weed from underneath the mattress he was sat on.

"Yeah, thanks: like I didn't know I was screwing up anyway." Jenna held her head in her hands and sighed.

"You're not screwing up, Aunt Jenna." Elena told her sincerely as she moved to sit between them.

"Yes, I am. You know why? Because I'm not her. She made everything look so easy. You know, high school, marriage, having you." They all stared at the photo of Miranda and Grayson on one of Jeremy's shelves. "I can't do it: I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault. It's impossible." She dropped the boot she was searching. "I couldn't even stand up to Tanner: you had to do it." She turned to Izzy. "I just sat there with a blank mind and no experience."

"This is just the fear talking. You're a little scared, that's all." Elena told her as she gave her aunt a side hug.

"We all are." Izzy agreed as Elena released the red-head.

"I have to go do something. But are you going to be ok?" Jenna sent the young girl a watery smile as she and Izzy resumed their search for various drugs as Elena left the house.

* * *

Elena released a breath as she rang the doorbell of the Salvatore Boarding house for the second time in as many days.

"Hi." She stared as Stefan opened the door and greeted her in surprise.

"Hey."

"Would you like to come in?" He held the door open wider for her but she shook her head.

"The comet's this way." She turned and led him out of the house and onto the lawn. "Sorry for barging in, especially after earlier." She said as they looked up towards the comet moving through the inky sky.

"No, no. I'm glad you're here. The way we left things... I didn't like it." Stefan told her. She took another deep breath and turned to face him.

"See, the thing is, I got home tonight planning on doing what I always do, write in my diary, like I have been since my mom gave me one when I was 10. It's where I get everything out, everything I'm feeling. It all goes in this little book that I hide on the second shelf behind this really hideous ceramic mermaid. But then I realized that I'd just be writing things that I should probably be telling you…" She trailed off realising she was babbling about nothing she actually wanted to say.

"What would you write?" Stefan prompted her.

"I would write.." She hesitated before deciding to just lay everything out. " 'Dear diary, today I convinced myself it was ok to give up: don't take risks, stick with the status quo, no drama: now is just not the time…but my reasons aren't reasons: they're excuses. All I'm doing is hiding from the truth, and the truth is that…I'm scared, Stefan." She kept her gaze locked on his. "I'm scared that if I let myself be happy for even one moment that…the world's just going to come crashing down, and I…I don't know if I can survive that." She stopped and let the silence hang between them for a moment.

"Do you want to know what I would write?" She nodded. "I met a girl: we talked, it was epic. But then the sun came up and reality set in. Well, this **is** reality: right here." Elena let his words rush over her as she felt herself leaning in and their lips meeting with a hesitant brush before her crept up to cup his cheek and their kiss deepened.

* * *

**_Dear Diary, tonight everything changed, tonight I sat back and listened as Damon toyed with Vikki Donovan's life, tonight I was a scared little girl. I have spent too long denying what I am and trying to live a human life and so tomorrow will be different; tomorrow I will not hide in the shadows when the name Salvatore is uttered, tomorrow I will walk with my head held high and if they see me, I will deal with it. And so I feel I can sum my thoughts and feelings up very simply:_ **

**_Dear Diary, it's begun._ **


	3. Friday Night Bites

**_Dear Diary, sometimes I miss the simplicity of my childhood where my days were filled with lessons and games and nothing was boring because that's all we had, but today, in the modern world, I am bored; my days are filled with endless typing on my laptop, as I recount the history of Mystic Falls, and worrying for Elena and Jeremy as the town slowly falls under the Salvatore spell._ **

**_I know Elena thinks I hate Stefan and she finds it completely unfounded as I've 'never met him' but she doesn't realise that Stefan is another baby brother to me and my only worry is that his uncontrollable reaction to human blood will harm her._ **

* * *

"I'm not saying don't date the guy, I'm just saying: take it slow." Izzy advised as she lay on Elena's bed.

"You were the one who said to go for it." Elena reminded her as she pulled various outfits from her wardrobe before rejecting them and trying again.

"I know but…just take it slow."

"What's wrong?" Elena sighed a she moved to sit at her vanity. "You have your worried face on again."

"I do not have a worried face." Izzy's reflection rolled her eyes at Elena as the teen brushed her hair.

"You so do: you bite your lip and frown." Izzy poked her tongue out in response. "So c'mon…"

"You're single for the first time in your entire high school career." Izzy said. "It's the perfect time to play the field! Have some **fun**!"

"Oh, because I'm so that girl." Elena laughed as Izzy shrugged. "Seriously, what are you not saying?"

_Your boyfriend is a vampire_

"It's stupid." Izzy turned to poke through the stuff on Elena's bed-side table.

"Izzy..."

"What?" She asked innocently.

"Spit it out."

"I…you don't know him that well and after everything that's happened recently and whatever is going on between you and Matt-"

"There is nothing going on between me and Matt." Elena pointed her hairbrush threateningly at Izzy.

"Not now…but you two have a history, and any lingering feelings on Matt's side could be an issue. You should sort all that out first, get to know Stefan a little more and then consider a relationship."

"Says the Queen of one-night stands." Elena raised an eyebrow as she spoke.

"Hey, I have never pretended those were real nor have I ever brought anyone home!" Izzy defended herself. "I'm just concerned."

"And I love you for it, I do." She got up and joined Izzy on the bed. "But I feel good. It's been a hard year, and I'm starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that." Izzy smiled at her and sat up.

"Okay then: show me that outfit again, I think we need to change the shoes…"

* * *

"Good morning, Elena." Stefan grinned at the girl as they stood on the green outside the High School. "Good morning, Bonnie."

"Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone. So I'll see you guys later." Bonnie said hurriedly before leaving the pair.

"Bonnie…" Elena trailed off sadly as Bonnie showed no intention of turning back to them.

"She doesn't like me very much." Stefan commented.

"She doesn't know you. She's my best friend: she's just looking out for me. But when she does know you, she will love you." Elena assured him as they strolled towards the doors. "And the same goes for my sister." She mumbled.

"Your sister?" Stefan frowned. "Your sister doesn't like me? Have I met her?"

"No." Elena laughed at his worried face. "She's just…concerned that we're going too fast because we've only just met and…"

"And we don't really know each other." He finished for her.

"Exactly." She smiled appreciatively at him. "But, I have a plan."

"Sounds intriguing."

"Are you free tonight?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes…"

"Perfect. Dinner: my house, 8:00." She told him. "You, me, Bonnie and Izzy: you three will spend some quality time and they'll get to see what a great guy you are. Mission accomplished!"

They stood smiling at each other until Stefan suddenly turned and Elena watched a football land perfectly in his hands. Mouth agape she glanced over to an equally shocked Tyler who fell backwards as he caught Stefan's return throw.

"That throw was insane! How did you even know it was coming?!" Elena exclaimed as Stefan waved sarcastically to Matt and Tyler. "I didn't know you played football."

"I used to, a long time ago." He told her.

"Wow, everyone I know seems to have a secret sporting past: you with football and Izzy with baseball…" She trailed off as Stefan shot her a questioning look. "Ask her about it tonight: her pitches are amazing." She smiled at him as they restarted their walk into the school as the bell rang. "You should try out for the team." She told him.

"I don't think so…"

"So, you don't like football?" She frowned.

"No, I love football. I think it's a great sport. But in this case, I don't think football likes me: you saw Tyler over there, and we both know how Matt feels."

"They don't know you. To them, you're mysterious loner guy." Elena opened her locker as Stefan leant against the neighbouring ones. "Wouldn't hurt to be a part of: make some friends."

"Says the girl who spends her alone time writing in a cemetery." He teased.

"Hey, come on. There's more to me than just gloomy graveyard girl." She smiled as she closed her locker. "There's a whole other Elena that you have yet to meet. She was into everything, **very** busy." She assured him.

"Well, I look forward to meeting her." He shared her smile as they moved away from the lockers and travelled through the corridor. "And when will that be?"

"Soon…she's working on it." She stopped him suddenly. "And maybe don't tell my sister we met in a graveyard…"

"Not the right impression?" He joked.

"Not unless you also mention you're part of the football team…" She smiled sweetly up at him before sauntering off towards her class.

* * *

The room was almost dark as the hastily closed curtains allowed small slivers of light to break through and send stripes of gold into the room. The cool air was crisp on her skin as Izzy writhed atop the soft bed sheets. Her small pants of ecstasy were interrupted by the shrill ringing of her phone.

"Yeah?" She sighed into the receiver.

"8:00 dinner at our house." Elena's voice was crackly as Izzy pressed her phone to her ear.

"Mmhmmm." She murmured. "Yeah, sure, whatever." The nails on her free hand scraped through the scalp of the man currently pressing kisses to her supple stomach as he slowly undressed her.

"Izzy?" Elena asked. "What are you doing?"

"Hmmm?" Izzy's eyes fluttered shut as the sensation of lips on her bare skin stole her attention.

"Oh my God! Are you having sex?!" Elena whispered furiously trying to not gain unwanted attention as she loitered nervously on the edge of the football field.

"What's wrong, Elena?" Izzy sighed as she pushed her companion away from her and sat up.

"Dinner: 8:00."

"Yeah, yeah." Izzy sighed. "I'll be there. Can I go back to Aiden now?"

"Uhh, my name is Aaron…" Izzy silenced her companion with a glare and hung up.

"Many apologies…Aaron." She smirked before flashing him to the wall and pressing her barely clothed body to his. "Now, where were we?" She felt her fangs begin to slide down into view and slowly sunk them into his neck.

* * *

Elena scowled at her phone as Izzy hung up on her. Pocketing it, she slowly made her way towards the group of girls sat on the grass.

"Oh my God!" Bonnie embraced her as she reached them. "You're here!"

"Yep, I can't be sad girl forever. The only way to get things back to the way they were, is to do things that were." Elena painted a smile on her lips. "Oh, and you're coming to dinner tonight."

"I am?"

"Mm-hmm. You, me, Izzy and Stefan." She saw Bonnie sneer. "You have to give him a chance." She sighed.

"Tonight's no good. Have you seen Caroline? I texted her like a hundred times."

"Don't change the subject, Bonnie Bennett! You're going to be there." Elena said sternly as they took a seat on the grassy blanket.

"Fine. I'll go." She pouted. "Isn't that Stefan over there?" She pointed out the figure speaking with Mr Tanner as the football team practiced.

"He must be trying out." Elena beamed.

"Weren't varsity trials last Spring?" Bonnie asked.

"He wasn't here then, so Tanner should give him a shot." Elena mused and grinned when Stefan set off in the direction of the changing rooms.

"Seriously, where is Caroline?" Bonnie exclaimed as they remained sat on the grass while their Captain was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't know: it's not like her…"

"I'll try her again-" Bonnie stopped herself as music blared from the stereo of a blue Chevy Camaro that rolled into the small parking lot.

"Uh…" Elena and Bonnie watched slack-jawed as Caroline leant over and kissed the driver.

"Oh my God, that must be the mystery guy from The Grill." Bonnie said as Caroline exited the car with a smug smile.

"That's not a mystery guy: that's Damon Salvatore." Elena groaned.

"Salvatore? As in Stefan Salvatore?"

"I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind." Caroline smirked at Elena. "Sorry I'm late, girls. I, uh, was busy." She addressed the group of cheerleaders with a wink. "All right, let's start with the double pike herkey hurdler, what do you say?" She began the practice. "And: 5, 6, 7, 8."

Elena stood in the middle of the group desperately trying to keep up with the routine and obviously struggling.

"Elena, sweetie, why don't you just observe today?" Caroline asked sweetly and Elena felt a deep blush flood up her neck as all the girls turned to stare at her. With a nod she left the group to sit on the side-lines. "Ok? Keep going! Ok. Do it again from the top. And: 5, 6, 7, 8."

Elena moved away from the cheer group and crept towards the football pitch. Her eyes scanned the identical uniforms until they landed on the un-helmeted body of Stefan. Smiling, she watched him re-strap the headgear before proceeding to annihilate every other player on the pitch.

* * *

Elena moved around the kitchen preparing dinner as Bonnie sat at the breakfast bar eating chips and dip.

"You explain it. Last night, I'm watching Nine-o: a commercial break comes on and I'm like, I bet it's that phone commercial. And sure enough, it's that guy and the girl with the bench, he flies to Paris and he flies back. They take a picture." She stared wide eyed at Elena trying to emphasise her psychic powers as Elena laughed.

"Oh come on, that commercial's on a constant loop."

"Well, how about this? Today I'm obsessed with numbers; 3 numbers. I keep seeing 8, 14, and 22. How weird is that?" Bonnie opened another packet and poured it into a serving bowl.

"Maybe we should play the lottery." Elena joked. "Have you talked to your Grams?"

"She's just gonna say it's because I'm a witch. I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?"

"I don't want to be a witch." Elena agreed as she too emptied to-go food into a bowl.

"You know, putting it in a nice bowl isn't fooling anybody."

"Ok…serving spoons." Elena mused. "Where are the serving spoons?"

"Middle drawer on your left." Bonnie predicted.

"Ok, so you've been in this kitchen like a thousand times." Elena reminded her as she opened said drawer and found them..

"Yeah…that's it." She rolled her eyes as the doorbell rang.

"Ok, he's here. Don't be nervous. Just be your normal loving self." Elena breathed.

"Are you talking to me or yourself?" Bonnie teased as Elena threw a hand-towel at her head.

* * *

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?" Elena asked Stefan as the trio sat at the dining room table, ignoring the empty place set for Izzy.

"Well, he let me on the team, so I must have done something right." Stefan smiled.

"Bonnie, you should have seen Stefan today. Tyler threw a ball right at him, and-"

"Yeah, I heard." Bonnie cut her off and continued prodding at her food.

"Why don't you tell Stefan about your family?" Elena prompted her as an awkward silence fell over the table.

"Um, divorced. No mom. Live with my dad." Bonnie said as she frowned at Elena's topic choice.

"No, about the witches." Elena prompted again but sighed when Bonnie said nothing. "Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches. It's really cool." She told Stefan.

"Cool isn't the word I'd use."

"Well, it's certainly interesting." Stefan said, catching Bonnie's eye. "I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800s." He smiled as Bonnie sat up straighter, now interested.

"My family came by way of Salem." She told him.

"Really? Salem witches?" Stefan questioned, seeing Elena grin out of the corner of his eye as Bonnie engaged with him

"Yeah."

"I would say that's pretty cool."

"Really? Why?" Elena asked.

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity." Stefan told the duo.

"Yeah they are!" Bonnie said smugly as the doorbell rang again.

"Izzy must have forgotten her keys." Elena murmured as she rose and made her way to the door. "Where have you be-" She stopped as she saw who was on her doorstep.

"Surprise!" Caroline beamed. "Bonnie said you were doing dinner, so we brought dessert."

"Hope you don't mind." Damon added with a devilish grin.

"What are you doing here?" Elena turned to see Stefan glaring at his brother.

"Waiting for Elena to invite me in." Damon raised an eyebrow as he spoke.

"Oh yeah, you can…" Elena gestured for them to come in and moved aside as Caroline bounced in.

"No, no, no. He can't, uh... he can't stay. Can you, Damon?" Stefan resumed his glare.

"Get in here." Caroline waved him in but Stefan stayed blocking the door.

"We're just finishing up."

"It's fine." Elena frowned at Stefan and opened the door wider. "Just come on in." She followed Caroline into the kitchen and missed the victorious smirk Damon sent Stefan.

"You have a beautiful home Elena."

* * *

"I cannot believe that Mr. Tanner let you on the team. Tyler must be seething. But good for you. Go for it." Caroline grinned at Stefan as they all sat in the living room.

"That's what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it." Damon laid on the perfect brother act brilliantly and watched as Stefan glared at him.

"Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today. It's only because you missed summer camp." Caroline frowned. "God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines." She mumbled.

"I'll work with her." Bonnie defended her best friend. "She'll get it."

"I guess we can put her in the back…"

"You know, you don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena." Damon ignored Caroline's mumblings about cheer positions and focused on the brunette instead.

"Oh, it's just 'cause her parents died." Caroline piped up again. "Yeah, I mean, she's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun, like Izzy." She smiled until she saw Elena's fallen smile. "And I say that with complete sensitivity."

"Izzy?" Damon asked. "I don't think I've met an Izzy…"

"My sister." Elena explained. "She should be here but-"

"Oh my God, I am so sorry I'm late!" Elena was interrupted as the front door flew open and a pair of heels became visible. "Please tell me you saved some food…" She trailed off as she noticed all eyes on her, specifically, two pairs of wide eyes. She couldn't move: her feet felt glued to the floor as she took in the sight of the Salvatore brothers in her living room.

"Stefan, Damon, this is my sister: Izzy." Elena introduced her. "Izzy, this is Stefan and his brother Damon." She swallowed hard as the brothers rose to 'greet' her. She took hesitant steps into the living area, her shoulders squared as inwardly she cursed: this was not how she wanted their reunion to go!

"Nice to meet you." Stefan said as Izzy shook his hand.

"You too." She was surprised at the steadiness of her voice. "Elena's told me a lot about you." She saw Elena blush slightly before another voice filled the room.

"Damon Salvatore." She took a deep breath before looking up into his baby blues.

"Isabella Maxwell." She took his outstretched hand, knowing exactly what his next move would be.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Maxwell." He bent slightly and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. She slowly let her hand fall from his grasp as she turned to Elena.

"Be right back…" The sound of her heels echoing on the wooden floors echoed through the house a she made her way into the kitchen. Unscrewing the bottle of scotch in her hand, she saw no need for a glass as she lifted the bottle and drank straight from its neck.

This should be interesting…

* * *

Two hours and three glasses of wine later, Izzy found herself in the kitchen staring into the blackness of the night through the window above the sink.

"One more." She closed her eyes as Damon's reflection appeared in the glass pane. She heard him place another glass onto the worktop as Elena also entered the kitchen.

"You know…there's almost no familial resemblance between you two, it's quite remarkable." She felt her hands curl into fists as he spoke.

"I'm adopted." She bit out as Elena opened her mouth to explain.

"Not that you'd know it: I can't remember a time before Izzy was in this house, she's my sister and that's all there is to it." Elena flashed a smile to Izzy who was noticeably tense beside Damon.

"I like you." Damon said to Elena with a grin. "You know how to laugh. And you make Stefan smile, which is something I haven't seen in a very long time."

"Since…Katherine?" Elena asked hesitantly, her eyes glancing over to the living room where Stefan and Bonnie were still discussing witches.

"Mmhmmm." He hummed in response, his attention once again turning to the tense blonde at his side.

"How did she die?" Elena asked, not noticing the fraught atmosphere between her sister and their houseguest.

"In a fire. A tragic fire." Damon sighed as he smiled sadly at Elena. "Seems like it was only yesterday."

"What was she like?"

"She was beautiful. A lot like you in that department. She was also very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive." Izzy felt her stomach churn as Damon charmed Elena.

"So which one of you dated her first?" She felt a smile tug at her lips at Elena's deduction.

"Ask Stefan. I'm sure his answer differs from mine." His grin faded. "I'd quit cheerleading if I were you."

"Why do you say that?" Izzy asked: her first words to him since their introduction.

"I saw you at practice." Damon spoke directly to Elena. "You looked miserable."

"You saw that?" The teenager's face fell. "I used to love it; it was fun. Things are different this year. Everything that used to matter doesn't anymore." She explained.

"So don't let it: quit and move on." Izzy's jaw tightened as Damon handed out advice to Elena. "Problem solved."

"Some things could matter again." Izzy responded, feeling his eyes snap back to her as she finally turned from the sink to face the rest of the kitchen. "Quitting isn't always the right way to go: you should at least give it a proper try." She directed her comments directly to him and watched for his reaction.

"Maybe…but sometimes, you just know when things aren't going to work out as planned." He stared into her eyes as he spoke and neither broke the connection until Elena moved out of the kitchen and Izzy turned back to the sink, focusing on the plates in front of her and not the silent vampire watching her every move.

"I'll dry." He snagged a dish towel from the counter and moved to lift a wet plate from the dish rack.

"I don't need your help." She told him and grabbed the towel from his grasp.

"You have a beautiful home." He commented as he walked around the space, eyeing various family photographs and pieces of unfinished homework on the breakfast bar that showed exactly how much of a home this building was.

"Really? Because I think we have an infestation problem!" She exclaimed as she turned to face him again.

"Hope it's nothing serious." He smirked at her as she strode out of the kitchen.

* * *

"See you all at the game tomorrow!" Elena called out to her friends as they all left. "Wow." She closed the door. "That was awkward…" She fell onto the sofa as Izzy remained at the window watching to make sure they all left.

"Why didn't you tell me you were inviting Stefan and his brother?"

"Because I wanted you to get to know Stefan and then Damon showed up unexpectedly with Caroline so…" She shrugged. "At least we got to know them better, right?"

"Right." Izzy sighed. "I'm going to bed: I'm pooped." She told her sister. "Night." She pressed a kiss to Elena's forehead and climbed the stairs to her room.

Closing her bedroom door behind her, she let out a small growl of frustration: Damon Salvatore sipping coffee in her living room was not was she expected to come home to!

She paced her room until she came to a solid conclusion on how to go forth: propping a chair underneath the door handle, she opened her window and slipped out into the night.

She stood for what seemed like hours on the porch of the Salvatore Boarding House before deciding to enter.

Flinging the door open, she strode into the parlour and around the large sofa until she faced the person slouching in it.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She seethed.

"I could ask you the same question, Izzy." Damon shot her a lazy smirk. "After all, this is **my** house."

"Fine, let me rephrase: what the hell are you doing in Mystic Falls?" There was a beat of silence as he studied her.

"I came to apologize: I've been doing some thinking, some soul searching, and... I want to start over, put the past behind me." He told her as he cradled his glass of bourbon. "Stefan's my little brother, and if he wants to live a normal, happy human life then I want that for him. Maybe I can do it, too? Maybe we both can learn to be non-living, living people, just like you." He grinned at her. "Well that's what you're doing, isn't it? Pretending."

"At least I'm living my life and not drinking until the decades blur into one mass of parties and bloodbaths!"

"Living? You call that living?!" He stood abruptly as he curled his hand into a fist and felt the glass shatter between his fingers. "I spent the last 15 years searching for you! And it turns out you're playing happy families in some godforsaken town!" She glared at him. "Nice choice of family by the way: Elena took my breath away; she's a dead-ringer for Katherine, isn't she?"

"Don't bring her into this." She warned him, her voice low. "She's not Katherine and she never will be." Damon shrugged and moved to pour himself a fresh drink. "When Elena told me that Stefan Salvatore and his brother Damon had arrived in town, I **prayed** it wasn't you: I hoped that you'd stay away and not bring the Salvatore drama back to Mystic Falls."

"You really hate me that much?" He asked her with a cool stare. "You truly can't forgive me?"

"For over a century, I partied and fed and admittedly had an amazing time with you, Damon." She ran a hand through her long, blonde tresses. "But then I asked for what: A decade of peace? Just 10 years of grocery shopping and town meetings but you couldn't, no, you **wouldn't** let me have it Damon." She paced the length of the fire place. "So yes, I can't forgive you because in 130 years I never asked for anything massive, and when I did, you let me down."

"Izzy-"

"No Damon, we aren't going to do the whole big reunion thing because I don't want you here!" Her eyes filled as the words left her mouth. "You're my best friend, Damon, and yes; life has been boring without you, but otherwise, I'm happy: I have a family and a house and responsibilities and I love it!"

"Do they know?" He asked her with a knowing smirk. "Do the Gilbert's know what you are?"

"A murderous creature of their nightmares? Funnily enough I never brought it up."

"And what happens when they realise that **you don't age**? That you can tear a building down in seconds **and rip a man's throat out without blinking**?" He strode closer to her and cupped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "What happens when they figure out that you're a **vampire**?" Her silence was enough of an answer for him. "You and Stefan are trying to play a game that you're going to lose. I'm just being the realist here."

"Lay one finger on Elena or anyone she loves and I will rip your heart out and feed it to a dog." She spat as she pulled out of his grasp.

"There she is!" He chuckled. "There's my Izzy." She shot him a dirty look a she exited the parlour and flashed out of the house.

* * *

Izzy lay wide awake in her bed. She had gotten home when the moon was still high but as dawn burst through her window, she realised she hadn't slept a wink. Her mind was full of memories: good and bad, of times past when she revelled in the mass bloodbaths that followed her and Damon wherever they went, of partying until neither could bear to stand anymore and sitting on rooftops staring up at the stars.

It was true, he was her best friend, had been ever since they first met all those years ago, but Izzy couldn't forget what he did, how he ruined any chance of the normal life she wanted.

She remembered the blueness of his eyes and their contrast with his raven hair and how the face of her childhood friend could change at any moment into one of a monster who could harm her family and friends. Izzy sighed; there was nothing she could do, Damon would cause havoc if he wanted to and no-one could stop him.

* * *

Izzy scoured the parking lot of Mystic Falls High School for a space as crowds of families and supporters piled into the small space for the football game.

"You just missed one." Izzy glared at Jeremy's 'helpful' comment in the rear-view mirror and deftly reversed the car and swung into the space. "You're welcome." He mumbled as he flung the door open and left the car in search of his friends.

"Are you sure about this, Elena?" Izzy ignored Jeremy's actions and instead turned to his sister. "You loved being a cheerleader."

"Loved." Elena stressed the word as Izzy glanced down at her in normal clothes and not her uniform. "It's just not me anymore, Iz." She smiled up at her sister.

"Okay then." Izzy dropped the subject. "I guess we can just use it as a Halloween costume." She grinned as they exited the car. "Add a little blood, maybe rip it a bit and TaDa! Zombie cheerleader!"

"Thanks, Iz." Elena smiled. "Hey look, it's Stefan!" She waved the boy over and Izzy awkwardly adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "Look at you!" Elena commented as he joined them. "You look hot in your jersey." She fingered the football uniform he wore with the number 17 emblazoned on it.

"What happened?" He asked, noticing her lack of uniform. "No more cheerleader?"

"She quit." Izzy told him. "She's having a new start." She shared a smile with Elena as Stefan glanced to her.

"I'm happy for you." He told her sincerely. "Um, I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird, but... I, uh, I wanted you to have this." He pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a small locket.

"Oh my God, it's beautiful." Elena exclaimed as she gestured for him to put it on her.

"It's something that I've had forever, and, uh, I've never wanted to give it to anyone until now. I'd very much like it if you'd wear it for me, for…good luck." Izzy eyed the locket and felt a soft smile rest on her lips as she recognised the scent emanating from it.

"Is that rose I smell?" Elena asked as it was secured around her neck.

"No, it's a herb." Izzy told her as she caught a whiff of the scent. "Probably represents something like protection, right Stefan?"

"Right." The pair shared a tense look as the unmistakable scent of Vervain filled the air. "And, uh, I wanted to thank you for pushing me to try out for the team. It feels really good."

"We're a pair: I quit, you start." She joked as the trio made their way towards the pitch.

"Why aren't you in uniform?" Caroline's tense question stopped them and Izzy saw Elena square her shoulders, ready to defend her decision.

"We'll, uh, leave you two alone." Izzy said as she tugged Stefan along. She waited until they were out of ear shot and turned to him. "Vervain?"

"Vervain." He confirmed. "I'm not taking any chances, not with Damon lurking around." Izzy nodded at his logic. "I heard you both…last night." He admitted as they began walking again.

"You did?" She asked, now realising she hadn't even thought of the other inhabitant of the guest house during her little visit.

"Yeah…" They continued in silence until Stefan's hand on her arm stopped her. "It's good to see you, Izzy." He told her and she smiled at him. "I know it's been a while and I know we didn't keep in touch but…It's good to see you." She quickly checked that no one was looking in their direction before pulling Stefan into a hug.

"It's good to see you too, Stef." She whispered into his ear. "So, the football team?" She asked, pulling away. "Can't say I'm not surprised: you've always loved the game."

"It was all Elena actually." He told her. "She encouraged me to join."

"She's a good kid." Izzy said as they looked back to see her walking away from Caroline. "So, hurt her and I'll kneecap you."

* * *

Izzy loitered in the shadows as adults and teens all congregated around a huge bonfire as Mr Tanner took to the makeshift stage.

"So, let's be honest here: in the past, we used to let other teams come into our town and roll right over us!" Izzy rolled her eyes at the football coach come History teacher as he rallied the crowd. "But that is about to change!" She took a long drink from the red cup in her hand and tried to find Elena and Jeremy among the masses. "We've got some great new talent tonight starting on the offense, and I'm gonna tell you right now, it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this with hands like these: let's give it up for Stefan Salvatore!" She smiled as Tanner pointed to Stefan and raised her fingers to her lips before letting a long whistle as the crowd cheered. "I have only one thing left to say to you…Your Timberwolves are hungry!" Tanner finished his speech as the crowd let out deafening cheers and whistles as the football team dispersed to prepare for the match.

"Tyler, stop it!" Izzy frowned as her ears picked up the sound of Vikki Donovan shouting to her boyfriend. "Tyler! Tyler, stop! Stop it! Stop, you're hurting him!" Izzy elbowed her way through the crowds and towards Tyler's truck. "Tyler! Tyler, stop! Tyler! Stop it! Tyler, stop!" Izzy halted as she saw Jeremy grappling on the floor with Tyler.

"Hey!" She stepped forward. "He's down." She pointed to Jeremy. "Enough." Tyler moved to punch the boy again as he held him down but his movements were stopped as a hand clamped around his wrist and yanked him upwards. "I said: enough." Izzy said coldly as she stared into his eyes.

Tyler shook out of her grip as Jeremy stood. She let the boy go and turned to speak to the younger boy but instead saw him wielding a broken bottle.

"Jeremy!" She shouted as she moved in front of Tyler and raised her hands to block the attack, feeling blood drip from her palm she lowered her arms and stared at the shocked Jeremy.

"Jeremy?" She heard Elena's voice as the girl ruched to the scene. She gasped as she saw the blood running down Izzy's arm as she held the boys away from each other.

"Knock. It. Off." She said slowly to the pair as she pushed them apart. Elena ran to her brother as they parted, Tyler being led away by Matt, while Jeremy stared at Izzy.

"What the hell Jeremy?!" Elena exclaimed as she took in the sight of her brother's bleeding lip. "Put your head up, you're bleeding."

"I'm fine." He tried to shoulder past her. "Just stop, okay?" His eyes begged her as he spoke. She let him go and focused on Izzy.

"Oh my God; your hand." She grabbed her palm and inspected the wound.

"I'm fine." Izzy assured her as she closed her fist to hide the already healing skin.

"Is it deep?" Elena asked as she tried to reopen the hand. "How bad is it?"

"Elena, I'm fine. It's not deep." She assured her sister. "Go back to your friends and I'll go find a bandage."

* * *

"Is Izzy okay?" Bonnie asked as Elena approached her.

"She says she's fine." Elena paused. "Can I ask you a question and you give me a really serious no-joke response?"

"Of course, what is it?" Elena pulled her away from the other cheerleaders and took a deep breath:

"The bad mojo...when you touched Izzy and Stefan you had a reaction and-"

"You know what, forget what I said; Izzy was just cold and your little dinner party plot totally won me over in regards to Stefan-"

"No Bonnie, seriously…what was it? Did you see something or…" She trailed off hoping Bonnie would answer her truthfully.

"It wasn't clear like a picture." Bonnie sighed. "Like today, I keep seeing those same numbers I told you about... 8, 14, 22."

"Yeah?" Elena prompted.

"When I touched Izzy I saw this old house and some people but it was so blurry and Stefan…when I touched him it was a feeling, and it vibrated through me: it was cold and…"

"And?"

"It was death." Bonnie whispered, her eyes scared. "It's what I imagine death to be like." Elena nodded solemnly before leaving the cheerleader and heading for the stands.

"Hi." She jumped at the unknown voice addressing her. She turned quickly and felt her heart slow down as he realised it was just Damon.

"You scared me…What are you doing here?" She frowned; almost everyone was in the stands by now, waiting for the game to start.

"I'm hiding from Caroline." He whispered with a smirk. "I needed a break: she talks more than I can listen." Elena laughed.

"That could be a sign..."

"Well, she is awfully young." She frowned at his choice of wording.

"Not much younger than you are."

"I don't see it going anywhere in the bigger picture: I think she'd drive me crazy."

"Caroline does have some really annoying traits, but we've been friends since the first grade and that means something to me." Elena defended her friend as she tried to move away from him.

"Duly noted." He smiled at her. "I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable. That's not my intention." He tried to stop her from edging away.

"Yes it is." Elena scoffed. "Otherwise you wouldn't put an alternate meaning behind everything you say."

"You're right; I do have other intentions…" He held his hands up in surrender before dropping them and leaning in. "…but so do you."

"Really?" She asked, clearly unimpressed by him.

"Mmhmm…I see 'em." He leant in even closer and whispered: "You want me."

"Excuse me?" She took a step back from him.

"I get to you: you find yourself drawn to me, you think about me even when you don't want to think about me. I bet you even dreamed about me." Elena stared, mouth agape at him. "And right now...you want to kiss me." He leant in to cover her lips with his but pulled back when her hand struck his cheek.

"What the hell?!" She exclaimed as he rubbed the area. "I don't know what game you're trying to play with Stefan here, but I don't want to be part of it!" She moved away from him. "And I don't know what happened in the past, but let's get one thing straight... I am **not** Katherine." She shot him a dirty look before storming off towards her seat.

* * *

Izzy strolled along the back of the school as she pretended to look for a bandage for her hand. She glanced down towards her palm and smiled at the sight of the healed cut.

"Here." She jumped slightly as a figure appeared from nowhere. "Heard you might need this." She snatched the roll of bandages from his outstretched hand.

"What do you want, Damon?"

"Just helping a friend: broken glass is a pain to get out but…you seem to have healed fine…guess you're not totally embracing human life then?"

"Go away Damon." She elbowed past him and headed towards the pitch.

"Nice trick with Elena by the way." He called out to her as he followed her to the locker rooms. "Let me guess... vervain in the necklace?" She ignored him and kept on walking. "I admit, I was a bit surprised: it's been a while since anyone could resist my compulsion. Where'd you get it?"

"Your brother." She turned to smirk at him. "Looks like I'm not the only one against you."

"Guess I could just seduce her the old-fashioned way. Or I could just... eat her."

"No." She flashed him against a wall. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her." She bared her fangs as he chuckled.

"No?" He pushed off the wall easily.

"No." She confirmed as she walked closer to him. "Because deep down inside, there is a part of you that cares." She prodded his chest. "I was worried that you had no humanity left inside of you, but all this…" She smirked at him. "…shows that you've still got a little bit of the old Damon inside you and that you haven't actually become the monster that you pretend to be."

"Who's pretending?"

"Fine, then kill me." She opened her arms out to him. "Right here, right now." She smirked at him. "Show me how monstrous you truly are." She laughed humourlessly as he stayed where he was. "Yeah, that's what I thought: because even after I told you I never wanted to see you again and left you in favour of a human life, you can't hurt me because you care about me…and that Damon, is your **humanity**."

"Miss Maxwell, if you're looking for your stoner brother then he's not here." Their conversation was interrupted by Mr Tanner. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a football team to coach." Izzy felt her jaw tighten as Tanner waltzed past them.

"If I have so much humanity…then what's this?" Damon whispered into her ear before grabbing the coach and ripping open his throat.

"Damon!" Izzy shouted as the vampire drained the teacher.

"Anyone, anytime, anyplace." Damon taunted her as the man crumpled to the ground, dead.

"You bastard." She spat as he smirked, blood smeared around his lips while Tanner bled out on the floor before he sped off into the night.

She raced over to Tanner's body and checked for a pulse. Sighing when she found none, she fished her phone out of her pocket and dialled 9-1-1.

"Yeah, Hi, I need an ambulance: there's been another animal attack." She quickly rattled off her location to the operator and tried to figure out why building 8, the 14 on a nearby licence plate and the car parked in space 22 made her think of Bonnie.

* * *

**_Dear Diary, I tried but it appears as though there's little left of the Damon Salvatore I use to know. I've always known there was darkness in him but the way he killed tonight, it was monstrous. I now know that all traces of good, kindness and love are all but gone and so I'm left with two choices: save him or stop him._ **


	4. Family Ties

Isabella's eyes flew open as the front door slammed. She turned and squinted at her bed-side clock that read 3:13AM.

"Who the hell..?" She mumbled to herself as she swung her legs out of bed, plodded through her room and down the stairs. "Elena? Jer? Jenna?" She called out to the other three residents of the house and frowned when no one answered. "Guys?" She moved into the living room and found the television on but muted. She reached for the nearby remote and flicked the sound on.

"This is Logan Fell coming to you live from the streets of Mystic Falls with breaking news..." She sat cross-legged on the couch as the handsome news reporter greeted her. "…the wild animal terrorizing the citizens of Mystic Falls has claimed more victims, local high school students Elena and Jeremy Gilbert." The remote tumbled out of her hands as images of Elena and Jeremy flashed onto the screen.

"No…" She felt all the air leave her lungs as the reporter continued.

"Police are certain that forensic evidence will confirm that this is the same animal responsible for recent attacks."

"No…please…" She felt hot tears fall down her face as the television turned itself off. "Oh dear God no!"

"Terrible news…" Her head snapped to face the new person in the room. "So tragic." She couldn't stop the tears falling as Damon sauntered further into the room before crouching before her. "And to think… it's all your fault."

She let out a choked cry before the image became hazy and she found herself sitting upright in bed, the sunlight streaming through her windows. The dream was still so clear in her mind as she wiped the tears from her face and calmed her breathing.

"Bad dream, Izzy?" She scowled as she became aware of the other person lounging next to her on her bed. "Love your pyjamas by the way…" He pulled back the covers a little to admire the shorts that barely concealed her long legs. "They definitely don't require much imaginati-" He was cut off as she plunged a concealed dagger into his gut. "All right, I deserved that. But I just wanted to let you know, they caught the culprit: the animal responsible for killing coach Tanner and all those people."

"What are you talking about?" She scrambled out of the bed as he pulled the dagger from his body and dropped it onto the mattress.

"It was a mountain lion…really big one. It attacked a hunter this morning." He told her. "It's all over the news: _Deadly beast captured: and all is well in Mystic Falls_."

"You covered your tracks?" She asked sceptically as she glanced at the clock and realised everyone would still be at home.

"Well, I've decided to stay a while." He sighed as he stood. "I'm just having too much fun with you, Stef and of course: Elena."

"Good luck with her." She laughed, remembering the vervain necklace.

"Well, the vervain might keep me out of her head but then, maybe that's not my target: believe it or not, some girls don't need my persuasion…some girls just can't resist my good looks, my style, my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift." She eyed him as he moved through her room, occasionally picking up objects before replacing them and continuing his route towards her chest of drawers.

"You're really going to chase the same girl as your brother, yet again?" He ignored her as he opened the drawers and snooped in them. She rolled her eyes when a smirk formed on his lips as he slowly pulled out items of her lingerie. "Pervert." She flashed over to him and slammed the draw, narrowly missing his fingers as it slammed. "Now get out of my house and stay out of my head." He flashed her anther smirk before disappearing from the home just as she opened her door and headed towards the kitchen.

"Scum ball." Izzy frowned as she heard Jenna mumbling in the kitchen. "Scum bucket."

"Good morning to you too, Jenna." Izzy joked as she entered the space to find Jenna glaring at the television.

"Oh hey Iz." She greeted her, not stopping her glare at the television, still muttering under her breath.

"Talking to anyone in particular?"

"Him." Elena pointed towards the television, seemingly aware of Jenna's feelings for the man on the screen.

"The news reporter?" Izzy frowned at Jenna's apparent hatred for the man telling the town that 'the animal terrorising Mystic Falls has been caught'.

"Also known as Logan "Scum" Fell." Jenna told her. "Did your mom ever tell you why I moved away from Mystic Falls?"

"No way! You and him?" Izzy exclaimed as she climbed onto a stool to stare at the Jenna's ex. "He's cute."

"He is not cute." Jenna admonished her as Elena giggled. "There is nothing cute about him."

Izzy held her hands up in surrender before moving her attention onto Elena who was playing with a small trinket box.

"What are you doing with that?"

"I went yesterday and got it from the safe deposit box. Mom had told Mrs. Lockwood she would loan it to the founder's council for their heritage display."

"Is that Grandma Beth's wedding ring?" Jenna asked as she and Izzy joined Elena at the table and looked through some of the box's contents.

"Originally it was your great-great-grandma Mary's wedding ring." Izzy told her.

"How much do you think this stuff is worth?" Jeremy made his presence in the kitchen known as he fingered the items. "You know, like on eBay?"

"You're not gonna find out." Elena chastised her brother and snatched the stuff back.

"That stuff is mom and dad's: you can't just give it away!"

"I'm not giving it away!"

"It's called a loan Jeremy." Izzy repacked the box as the doorbell rang and Elena rose to answer it. "You'll get it back."

He shrugged before wandering towards the coffee machine, leaving Izzy alone with the small pieces of Gilbert history.

"Hi Stefan!" She suddenly called out causing Jenna and Jeremy to frown at her, there was a beat of silence before Stefan appeared in the doorway of the kitchen with a faint blush on his cheeks as he waved hello to the family before being dragged upstairs by Elena.

"Don't forget to pick your suit up, Jer." Izzy said as the boy stared at her, confused.

"Suit? What do I need a suit for?"

"The Founder's Party, it's tonight…remember?" She rolled her eyes as the boy nodded before stalking out of the room.

"Speaking of the Founder's party…" Jenna returned to the table and grinned at Izzy. "…who are you going with?"

"Myself." Izzy told her with a small smile.

"No date?" Jenna frowned; she was well aware her adopted niece was not one to shy away from men and so was curious at her choice to go alone.

"Nope." She sighed. "To be honest Jenna, I don't know if I'm gonna go." She closed the trinket box and pushed it way from her. "I mean, what's the point?"

"You have to go! You're a part of this family and we always go!"

"Yeah because the Gilbert's are a Founding Family but even though Miranda and Grayson took me in, I'm not a Gilbert; I'm a Maxwell." She was pleased with her cover for not going to the party; after all she was sure that this year would be 'the Salvatore show' as everyone vied to get the attention of the two newcomers who happened to have a Founding Family Surname.

"You know…"Jenna began. "There was a Founding Family called the Maxwell's too." Izzy felt her eyes widen: she'd hoped Jenna didn't know that. "Yeah, the Maxwell Family, I'm sure Miranda and Grayson had some stuff on them." She rose and began to search through a small bookcase. "Who knows, you might be related." She joked and Izzy forced a laugh.

"Maybe." She paused as Jenna continued her search. "Actually, you know what? I think I will go. I'd much rather be a Gilbert than a part of this elusive Maxwell family anyway." She smiled at Jenna's pleased grin and let out a sigh of relief as she stepped away from the bookshelf and announced she was going to do some work.

* * *

Izzy stared blankly at her bed and groaned at the pile of clothes on it.

"Looking for a dress for the party?" She jumped as a voice suddenly filled the room. She turned and sighed when she saw Stefan standing beside her window.

"What is it with you and brother creeping up on me?" She moved to close the door to her room so no one would see them. "What's up, Stef?" She ran a hand through her hair as she rummaged through the pile of clothes yet again.

"Damon." She snorted.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Okay, I found some Vervain." She stood upright and frowned at him.

"Vervain hasn't grown in Mystic Falls since 1865." She reminded him. "I helped make sure of that, remember?"

"I found it at the Boarding House." She studied his face for any signs of mistruth before replying.

"Where?"

"The basement." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and cast a cursory glance around the room. She smiled at the differences between the brothers: where Damon had been intrusive, Stefan stood back and just observed his surroundings. "Zach's been growing it."

"Why are you telling **me** this?"

"Because I trust you." He smiled at her. "And I need you if we're gonna get rid of him."

* * *

"Hey, did I just hear Tyler?" Izzy asked as she entered the kitchen.

"Yeah, he was just picking up mom's stuff for Mrs Lockwood." Elena told her as she made snacks for her and Bonnie who was sat at the table staring intently at two bottle of nail polish.

"You okay Bon?" Izzy asked as she stole some popcorn and sat next to the girl.

"Delicate Flower or Naughty Vixen?" She held the two bottles out to Izzy.

"Hmmm." She took the bottles. "Tough call."

"Can we mix them?" Elena asked as the trio sat at the table.

"Look at you two, getting all pretty for tonight." Izzy teased as Bonnie emptied her make-up bag.

"Nu-uh, not me." Bonnie told her. "This is all for Elena's date."

"Date?" Izzy grinned at her sister. "I thought you seemed happier."

"I am... ish. Tonight's going to be a good night." She turned to Bonnie. "But don't let that stop you from telling me whatever it is you wanted to tell me as soon as you walked in the door."

"Ooh, gossip!" Izzy leaned in.

"What if I tell you in the morning? I don't want to ruin the night…"

"Bonnie, out with it." Elena ordered her friend.

"Okay…but it has to go in the vault because Caroline will kill me if it gets back to Damon that she squealed!" The two nodded eagerly. "Apparently Stefan has a very interesting back story…"

Izzy felt herself sigh as the words left Bonnie's mouth: of course Damon had fed Caroline some warped version of the Salvatore history and of course he had known she wouldn't be able to correct it without exposing herself.

"Do you know what happened with his ex-girlfriend, Katherine?" Bonnie asked them and Izzy resigned herself to acting dumb.

"I know that they both dated her and that's why they have issues." Elena told her.

"Yeah, they both dated her, only she chose **Damon** , and that drove Stefan mad, so he did **horrible** things to try and break them up: he manipulated Katherine and filled her head with all these lies until finally it worked, and she turned against Damon." Izzy felt her jaw tighten but said nothing.

"That sounds like one person's side of the story…meaning Damon's." Izzy felt herself smile lightly, glad that Elena had enough sense to realise Damon's warped story as utter crap.

"I just wanted you to know."

"Anyway, his past relationships are none of my business." Elena said as she prepped the table for their manicure session.

"Unless he's a calculating, manipulative liar: that is your business." Bonnie shrugged.

"Stefan is none of those things." Izzy cursed inwardly when she realised she had defended someone she wasn't supposed to know. "I mean, you know, he doesn't seem the type."

"How do you know?"

"Trust me, I've spent a lot of time with calculating, manipulative, liars…I can smell one a mile off." She avoided their glances as she unscrewed one bottle of nail polish and began painting Elena's nails in preparation for the party.

* * *

"I love this whole 'getting ready together' thing." Izzy said as she, Bonnie and Elena shared Elena's bathroom to make-up. "I never did this when I was a kid."

"You never got ready with friends?" Bonnie asked as she applied her mascara. "What about with your mom?"

"She died when I was little and then I moved around a lot so there wasn't much time for making friends." She sighed as she deftly painted her eyelids with eyeliner. "But I'm so happy that I have this now!" She giggled with the two girls as they all danced slightly to the music playing in Elena's room.

Their make-up/dance session was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the phone.

"I got it." Elena left the bathroom to answer the phone in her room while Izzy checked Bonnie's eyeshadow. "Hello? Hi, Mrs Lockwood. What do you mean? It is? Are you sure? Cause I saw it… let me check. Mm-Hmm. I will find it and bring it. Ok, bye." Izzy frowned as she extended her hearing to listen to both sides of the conversation before watching Elena storm past her, fling open the bathroom door that led to Jeremy's room and promptly slap the headphones off Jeremy's head.

"Hey!"

"The pocket watch, where is it?" Elena demanded as Izzy and Bonnie peered into the room.

"What watch?" He asked innocently.

"The one you stole from mom's box." She glared at him as he continued to claim innocence. "Look, Mrs Lockwood just called me, freaking out. It was on the list, Jeremy. And she can't find it, and she thinks she's the one who lost it!"

"Maybe she did." Izzy sighed at his response. "Maybe Tyler took it."

"Don't even play that card, Jeremy, you took it."

"If I go online, am I going to find it on eBay? Is that how you're paying for your pot?" Izzy called from the bathroom.

"Screw you!" He shouted back before begrudgingly standing and retrieving the pocket watch from its hiding place on his shelf. "I would never sell this, ok?" He dangled it in front of Izzy to prove his point.

"Then why did you take it?" Elena asked him.

"Because it's supposed to be mine! Dad said it goes to the firstborn son: his father gave it to him, and now what?" He dumped the item into Elena's hand.

"And he was going to give it to you." Elena stared at the pocket watch in her hand sadly. "Look, Jeremy, it's still yours, okay? Mom promised Mrs Lockwood…what do you want me to do?"

"Just take it and get out." He shot her a withering look as she re-entered their shared bathroom and closed the door behind her.

* * *

The Lockwood Mansion was full of people absentmindedly sipping champagne and mingling. Izzy smoothed her dress down self-consciously as she waited patiently in line to be greeted by the Mayor and Mrs Lockwood.

"Isabella, darling!" She smiled at the woman as they embraced. "So good to see you again!"

"Carol, Mayor Lockwood." The couple smiled fondly as she greeted them and exchanged pleasantries before entering the party.

"I need a drink." She muttered before heading off towards the bar. "Champagne please." She smiled at the young boy pouring her drink as she was joined by Damon.

"Looking ravishing, Miss Maxwell." He greeted her as she received her glass and sipped the bubbly liquid. She said nothing as she gave him a once over. She hated to admit but Damon Salvatore always did look amazing in a suit especially when paired with a black shirt.

"Damon." She nodded at him before turning and scanning the room for someone else to speak to as he edged closer to her.

"Now, now, where are your manners?" She felt her jaw tighten as his smooth voice washed over the bare skin of her shoulders. "It's rude to ignore a gentleman when he is speaking with you."

"Show me a gentleman and I won't ignore him." She replied, refusing to turn back to him but inwardly cursing when he chuckled and moved even closer to her.

"You and I both know I can be quite the gentleman." Izzy's back stiffened at the mention of the roles they played in their human lives.

"Your girlfriend's looking for you." She nodded towards Caroline who as searching for her lost date before sipping her drink once more and sauntering away from the vampire.

* * *

"The Founding Families of Mystic Falls, Virginia welcome you to the inaugural Founders Council Celebration on this, the twenty-fourth of September in the year Eighteen Hundred and Sixty Four." Izzy caught Stefan's eye as they stood either side of Elena and smiled softly as the girl read aloud the official roster of the first Founders' Celebration. "Look at all these familiar names—Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood and…Isabella Maxwell?!" She turned to stare wide-eyed at Izzy who pretended to be shocked.

"Well would you look at that? Maybe Jenna was right and I do have relatives here." She quickly took a drink of champagne.

"And does that say Damon Salvatore?" Her eyes moved through the list and she gasped. "And Stefan Salvatore?!"

"The original Salvatore brothers." Izzy sighed as Damon appeared behind her with Caroline at his side. "Our ancestors…tragic story, actually."

"We don't need to bore them with stories of the past." Stefan's voice hardened as he stared at his brother.

"It's not boring, Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family." Elena gazed up at him.

"Well, I'm bored." Caroline pouted. "I want to dance and Damon won't dance with me." Izzy glanced at Damon who seemed very set against dancing with the young cheerleader before moving her attention to a group of antiques that reminded her so much of the old Mystic Falls. "Could I just…borrow your date?" She smiled sweetly at Elena.

"I don't really dance." Stefan explained quickly as he took Elena's hand.

"Oh, sure he does, you should see him." Damon grinned. "Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk: he does it all!" Izzy stifled a laugh as she recalled Stefan performing all of those dances.

"You wouldn't mind would you, Elena?" Caroline continued smiling sweetly at her friend.

"It's up to Stefan." She gave a tight smile.

"Well sorry but I'm not taking no for an answer." Caroline grinned as he dragged Stefan out of the room and towards the music leaving Damon alone with Elena as Izzy moved around the displays but kept an eye on them.

"I want to apologize to you for being such a world-class jerk the other night when I tried to kiss you. There's no excuse: my therapist says I'm…acting out, trying to punish Stefan."

"For what?"

"It's all in the past; I don't even want to bring it up. Let's just say that the men in the Salvatore family have been cursed with sibling rivalry. And it all started with the original Salvatore brothers." He gestured towards the faded names on the framed roster. "You know, the Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town."

"Until the war." Izzy interjected.

"Yes, until the war." Damon turned to her.

"My apologies, Mr Salvatore, I'm amateur historian and absolutely love all things Mystic Falls." She flashed him a smile and moved to stand next to them again.

"There's nothing amateur about Izzy." Elena beamed. "She's writing an updated textbook for the school." She boasted and watched Damon's eyebrow rise.

"Is that so?"

"I want the kids to learn the truth about what's happened here."

"She taught me all about the Battle of Willow Creek." Elena added. "And that confederate soldiers fired on a church with civilians inside but the history books leave out that people killed weren't there by accident. They were believed to be union sympathizers. So some of the founders on the confederacy side back then wanted them rounded up and burned alive." Izzy smiled proudly at her sister as she recalled her lesson.

"Exactly." Izzy looked up to see an actual smile on Damon's face at the history she had taught Elena. "Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church. And when they went to rescue them, they were shot…murdered in cold blood." He didn't miss the way Izzy's back straightened at his words and how her hold on her glass tightened.

"Who was in the church that they wanted to save?" Elena asked.

"A woman." Izzy sighed. "Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman?" She turned slightly to glance up at Damon's stormy eyes before focusing on Elena. "You should probably go rescue Stefan." She laughed as Elena nodded and practically sped from the room.

Izzy stepped forward and ran her finger over the roster and the outline of the name she inked there so long ago.

"Seems like yesterday, doesn't it?" He said.

"Same people, same party, different dress." She joked, glancing down at her strapless black dress. "Lord knows Benjamin Lockwood would have turned me away at the door if I'd turned up in this." She watched as he took in the short back dress that moulded to her body and finished at her knees.

"Not before my father disowned you." They exchanged a laugh before Izzy thought back to that morning and realised she was joking and reminiscing with the person who had threatened her family.

"I'm going to get another drink." She told him before leaving him surrounded by pieces of their past. She stepped out of the house and onto the back patio, letting the cool night air surround her and flush all thoughts of 1864 from her mind as she descended the steps and moved towards the large covered area containing the dancefloor and outside bar.

She waved to Elena as she and Stefan swayed gently to the music filling the air and smothered a smile as Jenna's resolve slowly broke around Logan Fell. Everyone appeared to be having a good time, her fingers closed around another flute of champagne just as she noticed Caroline Forbes drape herself over Damon again ignoring her mother's glares.

"Having fun?" Izzy grinned at Carol Lockwood as the woman joined her at a small table near the dance floor.

"If I say yes, would you believe me?"

"Not at all." She laughed. "Darling, the whole town admires everything you've done for Jeremy and Elena, but don't you think you should do something for yourself too?"

"As much as I love the idea of a spa weekend, I really don't think Jenna would appreciate me upping and leaving." She joked.

"You need a man." Izzy choked on her drink at Carol's words. "And I think I've seen just the right one!"

"Carol?" Izzy asked as the woman waved to someone behind Izzy and beckoned them over. "Carol, what are you doing?" The Mayoress ignored her and stood to greet her guest.

"Mr Salvatore." Izzy felt her heart sink as Carol was swiftly charmed by Damon. "Mr Salvatore, I'm not sure you've met Miss Isabella Maxwell." She smiled down to Izzy who forced a replica one onto her lips.

"Fortunately I have." He told the Mayoress. "Our younger siblings are dating." He gestured to Elena and Stefan who were wandering off the dancefloor.

"Marvellous! Well I'll leave you two alone then." She waved a small goodbye to the pair before moving onto another group of people.

"Dammit Carol." Izzy muttered as she looked up and saw Damon's extended hand. "I thought you didn't dance?"

"I make exceptions." Begrudgingly she placed her champagne flute onto the table and, aware that Carol Lockwood was watching her every move, plastered a smile on her face and allowed herself to be led from her seat onto the dance floor.

She placed her hand onto his shoulder as another slow song began to play and settled her other hand into his. She supressed a glare as the hand on her waist pulled her body closer to his until there was barely any room between their torsos and they fell into a natural rhythm in time with the music.

"What are you doing here, Damon? Really? Because you're not here for me and you're definitely not here for Stefan so…?"

"Can't we have one moment where there are no ulterior motives or feelings of betrayal?" He asked quietly. "Can't we have one moment where the last 10 years never happened and we're just Damon and Izzy enjoying a dance together?" She searched his eyes for any traces of sarcasm or hints that he was deceiving her, but found none.

"One song." She conceded. "And then what?"

"Then…" He spun her out and pulled her into a dip. "…we see what happens." She let out a peel of laughter as he pulled her up and waggled his eyebrows at her in a way that was so very Damon that for those 3 minutes it was very easy to forget all the betrayal and heartbreak she' felt every time she so much as thought of the name _Damon Salvatore_ and let herself be the carefree Izzy of old.

* * *

One thing the carefree Izzy of old would never do is follow her alleged best friend and his date up onto the second floor of the Lockwood Mansion because she didn't trust his motives. However, she definitely would have used the second entrance that Damon appeared to not know about to watch him.

Honestly, she had thought he was luring Caroline up here to stage some sort of distraction by which he dangles her lifeless corpse from the bannister, but using her a lookout? That was unexpected.

Izzy peered around the unnoticed door and watched him retrieve an old wooden box from the exhibit and place it on a table.

"Um, you're not supposed to touch." Caroline reminded him as he rifled through the box until he found what he was looking for. "What is that?" She asked as he held up an amber coloured crystal and watched it reflect the light from the chandelier.

"A very important crystal." He smirked as he watched the light dance through it.

"Well, how did you know it was there?" Caroline had all but abandoned her post as lookout and was now focusing on the shiny gem.

"Because I put it there." He told her as he closed the box and placed it back in its original spot.

"When?"

"A long time ago." Izzy watched him pocket the crystal as he fielded Caroline's list of questions. "And tonight I'm taking it back, thanks to you." He forced a smile at her before taking her arm and leading her from the room.

"Well, what's it for?"

"Never you mind."

"Well, you can't just steal it." She protested as they stood in the doorway.

"It's not stealing if it's mine." She could see that Damon's patience was running out and hoped the girl didn't ask anything further as he led her down the corridor.

"What the hell are you up to, Damon?" Izzy whispered as she crept over to the box to try and figure out what the crystal was.

* * *

Izzy wandered back through the Lockwood Mansion, occasionally stopping to make small talk with other families but always thinking about Damon and that crystal. She entered the formal dining room trying to remember the different uses for crystals when she stopped and saw Bonnie staring at one of the many unlit candles in the room. With a sigh, she straightened up and turned away from the room, completely missing the fact that every single candle suddenly lit itself and illuminated the room.

Izzy let out a sharp gasp at the sight, causing Bonnie to turn abruptly and take in the room herself. Eyes wide, she realised she wasn't alone in the room and before Izzy could say anything, Bonnie fled from the room.

Izzy felt her jaw drop slightly as she realised what this meant: Bonnie Bennett, descendent of Salem witches, was a witch….shit.

* * *

"There is something seriously wrong with you." Izzy turned away from her current conversation as her extended hearing picked up Elena's vice and the fact that's she was very angry with someone. "You stay away from Caroline or I will go straight to her mother, the sheriff. You got it? Stay away from her." Izzy frowned at her words and edged closer to the patio doors to try to get a better sound.

"What did he do?" She heard Stefan approach Elena.

"There are bruises all over Caroline's body: bite marks, and he has her all confused and messed up in the head." Izzy watched Damon stalk right past her as she listened to Elena and realised she as talking about the older Salvatore brother. "You don't look surprised." Elena noted as Stefan remained silent.

"Um…I'm handling it."

"Handling it? Stefan, you should be having him arrested!"

"Elena, please, I...I don't expect you to understand."

"I don't understand anything, Stefan. So why don't you just clear it up for me?" Izzy kept her hearing focused on Elena and Stefan as he watched Damon grow more frustrated as he searched the expanse of open rooms for his date before vanishing from her eye line.

"Look, there are things that you don't know, okay? Things that I want to tell you, but I can't and I may never be able to…I just need you to trust me."

"Trust is earned: I can't just magically hand it over." There was a beat of silence before anyone spoke again and Izzy sighed at Stefan's choice of wording.

"I'm so sorry but… I have to go." Izzy stepped onto the patio and watched Stefan walk quickly away from the party and towards a secluded area of the gardens. Ensuring she didn't encounter Elena on her way, Izzy descended the steps and followed him across the lawns.

* * *

Izzy caught up with Stefan and the air shared a look before silently making their way towards Damon and Caroline.

"Don't! She took it off and I got flustered, okay?! I didn't know what to say. But I swear, okay? I did not tell her. I just told her that you didn't mean to hurt me." Caroline explained quickly as Damon's grip on her upper arms tightened.

They watched as he slowly released her and took numerous deep breaths to try and calm himself down, Izzy raised an eyebrow at his actions: that was new – Damon never tried to calm down, he just ripped and mauled until he felt better and then drank to suppress the guilt. She was impressed.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and slowly circled her until she was standing with her back to his chest.

"You make me crazy, you know that?" He inhaled deeply into her hair. He cupped the side of her neck and spoke directly into the shell of her ear. "It's okay. I forgive you."

"I swear I didn't say-"

"Shh, shh, shh." He cut her off and moved an arm around her waist to hold her securely to him. To any passer-by it would appear as though the two were in a sensual embrace but Izzy had a sickening feeling that this was all a ruse. "It's okay." He kissed down the side of her throat. "Unfortunately…I am so over you now."

Izzy watched in horror as he bore his fangs and plunged them into her throat al while holding her close and moving so she was lying in his lap on the lawn.

She and Stefan moved from their secluded spot just in time to see Damon move away from her and grab his own throat as he started to choke.

"What the hell?" He croaked as he fell to the floor. Stefan stood over his brother as Izzy moved to Caroline's unmoving body to check on her.

"I knew I couldn't spike your drink." Stefan's voice sounded eerie against the inky sky as he watched his own brother choke. "So I spiked hers." Stefan raised the empty vial of vervain given to him by Zach to emphasise his words.

Damon closed his eyes in disbelief as he realised all that had happened tonight to get him to this point: the fact that Izzy had likely compelled Caroline to nag Damon about dancing, knowing he would force her onto Stefan so he could be alone with Izzy and Elena, leaving Stefan free to spike Caroline's champagne just before Izzy sent Elena to 'save' him.

Izzy nodded to Stefan who flashed away with Damon's crumpled form and set to work repairing Caroline.

She waited until the girl was on the cusp of waking before appearing to stumble upon her.

"Caroline?" She called out as the girl reached for something in the grass. "Caroline, what happened? I've been looking everywhere for you." She embraced the shaking girl and realised she had likely picked up the crystal which must have dropped when Damon fell. "It's okay Caroline." She soothed the girl who had begun to cry onto her shoulder. "I've got you."

* * *

"Where is he?" Izzy asked as she entered the Boarding House a few hours later.

"Cellar." Stefan told her as he passed her a tumbler of whiskey.

"Can I see him?" She didn't wait for an answer as she strode past Stefan, towards the cellar entrance.

Slowly, she descended the stone steps and walked towards the only locked cell, her heels clicking against the ancient stone floor. Taking a deep breath she moved closer to the locked door and peered through the small bars at the top. She wasn't prepared for the sight in front of her: curled in a ball on the stone floor, in front of rows of vervain plants, was her best friend. She sighed at the sight of his raven hair falling into his eyes as he clutched his chest in agony rom the vervain fumes.

"Deadly beast captured…" She whispered as she walked away from the cell. "…and all is well in Mystic Falls."


	5. You're Undead To Me

The early glow of dawn flooded through the huge windows of the Salvatore Boarding House as Izzy arrived on the doorstep and let herself in.

Sneaking out of the Gilbert House had been more of a challenge this morning after colliding with a half-dressed Vikki Donovan on the landing. Giving the girl a hard look, she had jogged down the stairs and out the door calling out a vague explanation of re-filling her car with gas.

Her customary black stilettos clicked softly against the hard wood floors of the house as she made her way into the parlour.

"Ready?" She turned to see Stefan pacing nervously in front of the fireplace and raised her shirt slightly to show him the gun tucked into the back of her jeans.

"Just in case the vervain hasn't done its job." She explained before dropping her shirt and moving to the entrance to the cellars. "Are you ready?" His face hardened as she unlocked the wrought iron door and they heard the low groans of a waking Damon Salvatore.

"As I'll ever be."

The pair made their way down the narrow staircase and halted in front of the only occupied cell. They shared a look before fully stepping into the small pool of light provided by a nearby lantern and showing themselves to their prisoner.

"Where's my ring?" The first words out of his mouth were groggy and laced with pain as Izzy took in the sight of his cramped body.

"You won't be needing it anymore." Stefan replied as Izzy unconsciously felt for the ring currently hanging around her neck, hidden underneath her shirt. There was a beat of silence as Damon fully awoke and realised his surroundings had changed.

"How long have I been down here?"

"Three days." Stefan and Zach had moved him from the cell containing vervain to an empty one late last night while Damon was still unconscious. Izzy glanced at the dirt floor and pulled her jacket tighter around her as the temperature of the cell finally hit her.

"What are you doing?" Every word that left the incapacitated vampire's mouth was laced with pain and confusion as his eyes flickered open.

"During the Dark Ages, when a vampire's actions threatened to expose or bring harm upon the entire race, they would face judgment. They sought to re-educate them rather than to punish them." Stefan told him calmly as the words hit Damon.

"You know what will happen if I don't…feed." Izzy felt her heart break slightly at his laboured breath and broken speech.

"You'll grow weaker and weaker. Eventually you won't be able to move or speak. In a week your skin will desiccate, and you'll mummify." Stefan paused. "A living corpse: unable to hurt anyone. Ever."

"So what, you're just going to leave me in the basement, forever?" He rolled his head to stare at them through the small opening in the top of the door. "Izzy?"

"Apart from the vervain you ingested from Caroline, I injected you with enough to keep you weak." Izzy told him as Stefan's hand slipped into hers and they thought back to the one thing she had insisted she be the one to do. Filling the needle and then sliding it into the side of his neck had been something she needed to do herself, she had to be the one to knock him out completely, for her own sake.

"Once your circulation stops, I'll move you to the family crypt, and then in 50 years, we can re-evaluate." Stefan promised, all this had been discussed during Damon's three day sleep: Stefan and Izzy would be free to live out their human lives here in Mystic Falls before taking Damon from the crypt and waking him as far away from the town as possible before they pieced together their little family.

"I'm stronger than you think." The determination in his voice broke through their little fantasy as Izzy returned her gaze to Damon.

"You always have been." She whispered. "But you're not stronger than the vervain…" Her voice got stronger as she remembered the threats to her family and the nightmare he'd inflicted upon her. "…and we both know it. I'm sorry but it didn't have to be this way, Damon."

Izzy and Stefan shared a glance before moving away from the door and striding back into the above ground levels of the home, the sold door slamming behind them as Stefan locked it.

"Everything okay down there?" They both turned to Zach as he loitered at the parlour entrance.

"He's awake. He's weak, but it's probably best to stay out of the basement." Izzy told him.

"He's Damon. I'm not sure how dangerous he still might be." Stefan mused as he moved to check that his bag for school was packed.

"You're going to go to school today?" Zach asked in disbelief.

"Came here to live a life. It's about time I get back to that." Izzy shot him a small smile. "And Elena, if she's still speaking to me…"

"You should probably call her instead of just showing up at school." Izzy told him.

"What am I supposed to do, feed her another lie? I hate lying to her, Iz!" Stefan whined.

"And you think I like lying to her? To all of them?" Izzy asked incredulously. "But what choice do we have? We came here because we wanted to live as normal a life as we could. You had to know this was going to be a possibility." She sighed as she raked a tired hand through her hair.

"Do you wanna stay for breakfast?" Stefan asked after a beat of silence.

"I'd love to Stef, but I have to get home, before anyone wakes up and sees I'm gone." She apologised to the boy before moving over to him and embracing him. "Stay strong with him." She nodded towards the cellar door. "I'll see you at the carwash?" She asked hopefully before leaving the house and setting off to pick up some gas before getting back to the Gilbert house.

"Stay strong." She repeated to herself in the silence of the car as she tried to push away all thoughts of the vampire slowly desiccating.

* * *

"Morning!" Izzy called out as she entered the Gilbert house, a box of pastries balancing in her hand as she kicked the door shut behind her.

"Are you aware of what's going on upstairs?" Elena asked her as she entered the kitchen and placed the box in front of Jenna who dived straight in.

"Uh huh." Both women answered and Elena frowned

"And you're both okay with it?"

"Well, he could be craftier about it, and at least make an effort to sneak her in and out, but otherwise…" Izzy finished with a shrug as she poured herself some coffee.

"Oh, and just so you know; I won't be home for dinner." Jenna told them as she picked up another pastry.

"You're actually going to do it?" Izzy laughed as Elena teased;

"You're going to go out with Logan?"

"I'm going to show up and torture him, yes. And have you heard from Stefan?" Jenna re-directed the conversation towards Elena's relationship and not hers.

"Not since he left that very vague message three days ago: _Hi, um, Elena, I, um, have something I have to do. I'll, uh, explain in a few days_." She sighed as Izzy sat next to Jenna to wrestle one of the treats she'd picked up on her way home, from her grip.

"Have you called him?"

"Nope." Elena said stubbornly. "Not going to either." She plucked the pastry Izzy had won from Jenna from her sisters fingers and took a bite.

"Hey!" Izzy protested as Elena licked jam from her fingers.

"And you're okay with everything?" Jenna ignored Izzy's pout as she spoke.

"No, I'm not ok with any of it." She sighed as she finished the pastry. "But I'm not gonna cry about it, either." She reached for another of the delicious treats. "You know, I was going to write in my diary this morning and then I thought, what am I going to write? Honestly, I'm not gonna be one of those pathetic girls whose world stops spinning because of some guy."

"Ok then." Izzy said slowly.

"I'll be fine." She stuffed the pastry into her mouth and walked out of the room. Izzy and Jenna shared a raised eyebrow before shrugging.

"So what are you going to wear tonight?"

"Something that says: bet you wish didn't cheat on me, jackass."

"Excellent."

* * *

"Hey Caroline, how are you?" Izzy asked as the blonde fastened her seatbelt and they pulled off.

"Good." She sighed as Bonnie and Elena smiled softly at her from their seats in the car. "Thanks for picking me up, I don't really feel like driving lately…it's like I just can't focus on anything while my memory is so foggy." Izzy smiled at the girl in the rear-view mirror. She really didn't mind picking the girls up and dropping them off, she liked it in fact, it allowed her to keep tabs on them all, especially now there was more than one vampire strolling through town, plus she got to keep up on all the gossip.

"What do you remember?" Elena asked.

"I remember the party. Damon came up behind me, and he was kissing my neck, or biting my neck. I passed out and then Izzy was there." She played with the strings of beads around her neck. "It's like there's holes in my memory lately. It's just weird….Maybe I let him bite me?"

"Why would you do that?" Bonnie asked.

"Can we just not talk about it, ok? I don't want to talk about Damon: I don't want to talk about any of it. I just want to go back to normal." Izzy nodded, glad that her compulsion had done its work and there appeared to be no memory of any vampire-ish behaviour in Caroline's head.

"What's this?" Bonnie asked as she noticed one of the many necklaces Caroline was wearing. Izzy felt her eyes go wide as she held up the amber crystal Damon had dropped at the Lockwood party.

"Damon gave it to me…or he was going to give it to me. All I know is, it's mine now." Izzy swallowed hard as Bonnie dropped the necklace and it fell back against Caroline's other beads…she had to get her hands on that crystal and find out what it does.

They rode in silence until Izzy pulled up to the school.

"Don't forget; it's the sexy suds car wash tomorrow. The football team and the band have committed. Well, not all the band, just the ones who could pull off the bikini. You're coming right, Izzy?"

"Of course, Caroline." Izzy laughed at the girl who was back to her normal self. She waved to the approaching Stefan as the girls got out of the car.

"Stefan!" Caroline called out to him before he could speak with Elena. "Where's Damon? He has some serious apologizing to do."

"He's gone, Caroline." Stefan told her, his eyes flitting over to Izzy who was watching the exchange quietly from the car.

"When is he coming back?"

"He's not." He paused as Izzy nodded to him. "I'm sorry."

"This is a good thing, Caroline." Izzy told her as they finally closed the SUV's doors. "He was no good for you."

"…I know…"

* * *

Izzy wasn't 100% sure what possessed her to turn up into the Salvatore's driveway, but she told herself it was for Zach. The man - a distant relative of Damon and Stefan's bastard, human brother, had looked perturbed this morning when Stefan told him he'd be alone with the yet un-desiccated Damon and so Izzy had popped by to check on him. Naturally though, her visit had lasted longer when she saw the man practically lock himself in the kitchen with a shotgun.

After spending all day at the Boarding House, keeping Zach safe, Izzy finally let herself flee the building where no matter which room she sat in, she could still hear him coughing, choking and the unmistakable sound of someone shutting down.

"Zach, I'm going for a drink." She called out to the man who was busy in the kitchen. "Call me if something happens." She waited for a reply from the man Stefan and Damon told the public was their uncle, but none came. "Fine, ignore me." She sighed before scooping up her keys and leaving the house.

She pulled up to the Mystic Grill at 5pm and frowned as she saw Stefan jogging towards the entrance.

"I thought you were meeting Elena at 4?" She asked him as he slowed.

"Damon just tried to strangle Zach." He told her and she dropped her keys.

"What?! How?! I literally just left the Boarding House!" She whispered violently to him. "What the hell happened?!"

"Zach wanted to say goodbye." She groaned at his words. "I know, I know, but it's fine, I got to him in time and he's ok."

"And Damon?"

"Still locked up." She sighed and thanked Stefan as he picked her keys up for her before they entered the Grill together.

"Stefan?" Elena called out to the boy as she spotted him entering with her sister. She placed her pool cue back onto the table, said goodbye to Matt and raced over to the pair. "What happened?"

"I got held up…"

"Is everything okay?"

"There was this thing with my uncle." Izzy stood awkwardly to one side as she watched Elena get angrier as Stefan spoke.

"And you couldn't call and tell me that you were going to be an hour late?!" She exclaimed.

"Ok, you kids have fun." Izzy interrupted Elena's rant and tried to pass them when a man suddenly stopped in front of her. "Excuse me…" She said but he wouldn't move. "Sir?"

"I know you." She looked up and stared at the old man. "My God!"

"I'm sorry?"

"I know you!" He glanced over to Stefan. "I know you as well!" He stared at them both. "How can it be?" He took in their young bodies and faces.

"I think you have the wrong people, Sir." Izzy said gently, trying to push down her internal panic as she began to vaguely recollect the man from a past visit to the town.

"You haven't aged a day!"

"I'm sorry, you have the wrong person, excuse me." Izzy pushed past the man and strode to the bar as Stefan and Elena left. She downed her first drink in one and spent the next hour trying to ignore the eyes staring into the back of head as the old man tried to figure her out.

As she left the bar, pointedly ignoring the old man, she waved hello to Jenna as she approached her date and frowned at the sight of Logan Fell springing away from the Sheriff.

* * *

As Izzy closed the door behind her, she rested her head against the smooth wood and sighed: she really should have checked into the people still living in Mystic Falls that could recognise her, but, she reasoned that she could discover a long lost ancestor from her research and pass the recognition off as her looking like a past relative.

Pushing herself off the door, she moved to the bottom of the stairs but frowned when she heard laughter coming from the kitchen, accompanied by the smell of a recipe she knew well.

"Mmmm Chicken Parmesan." She sniffed the air as she pushed open the doors to the kitchen but stopped when she saw Stefan and Elena sitting together at the table, mid conversation. "Oops…sorry guys." She backed out of the room and began closing the double doors when Stefan spoke;

"There's extra by the stove." He laughed as her eyes lit up. "You're more than welcome." She bit her lit before flinging the doors open and making a bee-line for the extra plate.

"Oh my God!" She moaned as she took a bite. "If you don't date him, I will." She joked to her sister as she winked at Stefan and left the room, still clutching the plate.

She walked slowly up the stairs, being careful to not drop anything off her plate, when she encountered Jeremy on the landing.

"It was very nice what you did for Stefan and Elena." She smiled at him. "Very romantic."

"Well, I'm feeling romantic." His eyes flickered over to his bedroom where Izzy could hear Vikki wandering around.

"Jer…" She stopped him from going back into the room. "Just…just promise me you're being careful." He smiled at her before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

* * *

"Sooooo…" Izzy grinned at Elena as the girl bounded up the stairs after Stefan left. "How'd it go?" She laughed when the girl all but ran into Izzy's room and shut the door so they could gossip.

"His favourite book is 'The Great Gatsby', and he loves 'Seinfeld' and 'I Love Lucy'. He's a huge Scorsese fan and his favourite film is 'Taxi Driver'." Izzy flopped onto Elena's bed as the girl told her all she could about Stefan. "Loves music, like all music, even Miley. Food wise, he really loves garlic." Izzy laughed at that one; trust Stefan to try and dispel any vampire queries before the girl even had them.

"Jeesh, is that all? You mean he didn't volunteer any DNA while he was at it?" Izzy joked as Elena joined her on the bed.

"He told me all about Katherine…" She told her quietly. Izzy swallowed hard before speaking;

"What did he say?"

"That she was amazing." Elena sighed. "But also impatient, entitled and selfish."

"Sounds right." Izzy mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing, carry on."

He said that he doesn't know who was with her first: him or Damon, but that he did do things he wasn't proud of and he regrets not being able to make it right before she died." She paused. "He admits he misses her but assures me he's over her."

"Then he must be." Izzy reasoned. "And if she's not around anymore, then you have nothing to worry about."

"Exactly." She smiled. "Plus he made Chicken Parmesan because he knew it was one of my favourites!" She sighed blissfully. "And it was amazing!"

"I know." Izzy grinned.

"He's got Italian roots too! Although I guess I should have guessed that with the last name 'Salvatore…" She paused. "He can even make his own homemade mozzarella." Izzy smiled at the glow coming from Elena as she spoke about Stefan and was glad that he'd finally decided to open up a little to the girl.

"Anything else?"

"We kissed!"

* * *

Once Izzy had milked Elena for all she could about Stefan and their date, she let out a small yawn of contentedness, happy that all was apparently rosy for Elena.

"Hey, what's all this?" Izzy hadn't noticed Elena going through the numerous boxes lying on the floor of her room. "Census records?" Izzy remained silent as she tried to think of an explanation for the data she had been slowly collecting. She racked her brains for something to say when she remembered something Elena had shared about Stefan.

"Italian roots!" She blurted out and the girl frowned at her. "My ancestors were Italian." She explained quickly. "I've been doing some digging since the Founders Party where you found that guest record with Isabella Maxwell on."

"And?"

"And it turns out that I'm part of the original Founding Family." She smiled. "The Isabella Maxwell you found is some distant Great-Grandmother whose maternal ancestors were from Italy. They travelled over with the original Salvatore settlers and the Isabella Maxwell from 1864 grew up with the original Salvatore brothers after their families finally settled in Mystic Falls." Izzy let all of this out in one breath and felt a weight lift from her shoulders at the fact that everything she'd told was mostly true and she'd finally been able to share something about herself, her true self, with the girl she considered her sister.

"Wow." Elena breathed. "And then what happened?"

"Well, um, when Damon and Stefan Salvatore were killed, it was reported that she found their bodies and raised the alarm. People say that pretty soon after that there was a third set of gunshots but by the time people got to the boys she was gone and her body was never found so all records of Isabella Maxell end there." She told her. "She never married anyone from Mystic Falls and so we can assume she either fled once her best friends had been murdered and she reported it, or she was gunned down with them and hidden before anyone found her." She felt tears fill her eyes. "Sad, isn't it?"

"But if you're her descendent, then she'd had to have survived?" Elena asked, seeing her sister get visibly upset retelling the story. "Right?"

"Right." Izzy agreed as she wiped her eyes. "She must have lived and gotten married and had a family." She smiled at the girl as she ran her fingers over the concealed ring she was still wearing around her neck. "A healthy, normal family."

* * *

"No friend discounts, no freebies and no 'pay ya later': we are not running a charity here." Caroline's strict instructions carried across the school parking lot as she prepared Elena for her shift on the money table.

"No we are not." The girl agreed as Caroline handed over the key to the safe box. As the pair set up the small stand, the rest of the student body set up the 'Sexy Suds Car Wash' as the first of the day's cars pulled in.

"Hi." Elena glanced up from the table and broke into a grin when her eyes landed on a nervous looking Stefan.

"Hey." She stood and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"The event is called 'Sexy Suds', you know." Caroline snidely commented to the couple who glanced down at their clothing before adjusting her pink halter-neck bikini and sauntering off.

"Did we just get scolded?" Stefan laughed as he took in the fact that he was the only male student wearing jeans and t-shirt with a jacket on top.

"And judged." Elena added as she picked at her own jumper covering her vest and shorts.

"Wow." Stefan mused.

"I'm sorry, but I guess you're going to have to take that off." Elena grinned up at Stefan as she took advantage of Caroline's words and pointed coyly to his jacket and shirt.

"I think you have to go first." He countered with a smirk. She paused at his words but felt a smirk pull at her own lips as she tugged the hem of her jumper up and over her head, all while maintaining her best 'sexy' grin until the material caught in her hair.

"Ok…umm…" she pulled at the material but it refused to come free. She felt her shoulders slump as Stefan's hands covered her own and helped free her. "Sorry." Her grin faded as the material came free. "So sexy." She said sarcastically as she took the jumper from his hands and glared at it. "Ugh."

"I disagree." Stefan told her as he placed a finger under chin and lifted it so their eyes met. "Very sexy." He leant in and captured her lips, feeling her smile return.

"Elena! Stefan!" The couple broke apart at Bonnie's call and begrudgingly joined her as a new car pulled up and they picked up freshly filled buckets of soapy water and began washing the vehicle.

* * *

"You're getting soap in that." Elena pointed towards the large ring on Stefan's right hand as they soaped up the hood of the SUV Izzy had pulled up in only moments earlier.

"Oh its fine." Stefan told her as he glanced down at the ring.

"I noticed that Damon has one too." Elena commented as she abandoned her cloth and moved to join Stefan on the other side of the car. "Is there a story behind it?"

"Yeah, it's the family crest from the Italian Renaissance." He told her as she took his hand and traced the intricate pattern.

"It looks similar to this locket that Izzy always wears." She observed as she stared at the pattern. "But I guess that makes sense, you know because of the history of your families." She looked up at him expectantly.

"History?" He asked, trying to stop panic flooding his eyes. Had Izzy told her all about their secret? Had she explained the significance of the rings and her locket and why they looked the same?

"Yeah, you know: your and her ancestors came over from Italy together and ended up founding the town together." She told him. "And that led to the Salvatore's and Isabella Maxwell from 1864, growing up together."

"Oh, that…yeah of course…makes sense that the locket is similar." He smiled at her gently, relieved their secret was intact and Izzy had thought quickly to produce a cover story.

"What's the stone?" She asked. "It's beautiful."

"It's lapis lazuli." He said as he ran his own fingers over the smooth navy stone.

"Well it's pretty." She grinned as she dropped his hand and resumed soaping her sisters' car. "You should really take it off." She said as she watched him continue to stare at the ring that obviously meant a lot to him in the same way that Izzy was never without her locket. "I could put it in my bag?" She offered.

"No…it's…it's fine, really." He smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks though."

"Ok." She shrugged. "I'm gonna get some towels." She dropped her cloth into a nearby bucket and practically skipped off.

Stefan returned his gaze to the ring that had sat on his hand for over 140 years and smiled at the fact that Izzy had chosen to hide Damon's daylight ring so close to her own protective stone. He had known that desiccating Damon would be harder on her than him but they both agreed that it was for the best as he'd gotten out of control.

"How's my car doing?" Izzy broke him out of his reverie as she approached. "I've let it get as filthy as possible so I get my money's worth today." She joked.

"Well I'm definitely going to have to use a level of strength that could be described as supernatural, to get through the dirt." He winked as she laughed.

* * *

Elena relieved Caroline of her shift on the money table as the blonde went in search of more towels. She happily filed the money tin as the townsfolk passed through the car wash.

"That'll be $20." She told a waiting man. "Hey, I saw you last night." She said as she took the $20 bill and recognised him as the man who spoke with Stefan and Izzy at the Grill. "You were talking to my sister and a friend of mine." She reminded him as she pointed out Izzy and Stefan chatting by the woman's car.

"Well I…I thought I knew them." He explained.

"Isabella Maxwell and Stefan Salvatore." She told him as he stared at the pair across the car park.

"Nah, it can't be: it's just my mind playing tricks on me."

"Where do you think you've seen them before?" She asked; her interest piqued.

"When I first moved here, I stayed at the Salvatore Boarding house." He told her. "Stefan was just passing through to visit his uncle. I mean, none of us knew he was even here until the attack."

"The attack?"

"His uncle got killed: mauled by an animal in the woods."

"Uncle Zach?" She asked, the man shook his head.

"Joseph."

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't think I'm familiar with the story." Elena said as her brow furrowed: another uncle?

"Oh how could you? I mean, this happened years ago!" He told her before moving away from the stand and back towards his car. Elena paused in her seat before racing after him

"Excuse me." She called out and the man stopped. "Um, are you sure that the people that you saw, that you knew, their names were Stefan Salvatore and Isabella Maxwell?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I remember the ring and her locket. Stefan was visiting his uncle and then his brother showed up-"

"Damon?" She interrupted.

"Yeah: Stefan and Damon Salvatore." He smiled at some memory. "Damon was the one with Isabella; they were pretty close, made a good looking couple but insisted they were just close friends." He smiled at her. "I'd have believed it too if it wasn't for the fact that her locket was identical to his ring, and I mean identical."

"When was this?" She whispered as she realised that he was right; Izzy's locket wasn't just similar to Stefan's but identical, just as the man had said.

"It was early June." He said. "1953." He paused and thought harder. "Yeah, June 1953."

* * *

"Hey Jenna." Izzy greeted the red-head as she sat next to her on a picnic bench. "Thought your car was done about an hour ago?"

"Shhhh." Jenna silenced her. "Don't say that so loud." Her eyes flickered over to the news van and settled on the smiling form of Logan Fell as he told the camera about the car wash.

"Aww does Jenna have a crush?" Izzy laughed at the woman.

"No!" She protested, her raised voice earning them a glare from the cameraman. "I'm just…learning how the industry works."

"Mm-hmmm, sure." The blonde teased as Logan wandered over. "Hi Logan." She waved to the news presenter.

"Hi." He smiled at the two women. "Izzy, right?"

"Right." She answered just as Elena came into view and frowned at them.

"Your car was done ages ago." She told Jenna who sighed. "Hi Logan."

"Elena." He smiled at the girl who joined the women at the picnic table. "I think the last time I spoke to you, you were nine."

"Your emotional maturity level when we were together." Jenna deadpanned.

"Ouch." He feigned hurt. "And here I thought we were making progress."

"Is he enough in your good graces that I can ask for a favour?" Elena asked Jenna, avoiding eye contact with Izzy.

"If I do her a favour, will I get back in your good graces?" Logan also questioned the red-head with a smirk.

"Uh…" Jenna glanced between the two. "…a very reluctant maybe to both…"

"Done." Logan grinned. "Wait, one condition; dinner, tonight, your house."

"Fine." Jenna agreed. "But you're eating leftovers." She smirked as she rose from the bench and sauntered off.

"What do you need?" Logan turned his attention to Elena.

"Do you have access to old news stories? Like from the 1950's?" Izzy frowned at the girls' request.

"Yeah, at the station. Between the archives and the Internet, we pretty much have everything." He told her.

"I have this report that's way past due…you'd be a lifesaver…" She smiled sweetly at the man.

"I'm heading there now." Logan gestured to the van. "Let's go." He led the girl away but she stopped and turned to her sister.

"If anyone asks: you don't know where I went. I don't want Caroline to know that I left." She said and Izzy's frown deepened.

"Yeah, sure…I'll cover for you." She called after the girl as she clambered into the news van and they pulled out of the car park. "You're welcome."

Izzy rose from the bench and massaged her temples as she re-joined the crowds at the car wash: everything had been going smoothly now Damon was locked up, but now it seems Elena's decided to be elusive…great.

She tip-toed through the student filled area, being careful to not submerge her shoes in the soapy puddles covering the ground, until Bonnie came into view. Sighing in relief that there appeared to be one person here who might know what's wrong with Elena, she began to make her way over to the girl but stopped when out of nowhere, a puddle burst into flames. She watched in shock as the flames travelled through a small stream of water before engulfing a car. Izzy turned to her attention back to the source of the fire and felt her eyes widen as she saw Bonnie staring intently at it. Within seconds she was at her side and placed a hand on the girls shoulder, effectively breaking her stare.

"Bonnie?"

"What just happened?" The girl asked, panicking as the flames suddenly disappeared as though they'd never existed.

"You were in some kind of trance." Izzy explained to the shaking girl.

"Did I do this?" She whispered, a tear escaping her eyes.

"I think so."

"Nobody else saw, did they?" Izzy shook her head and saw the girl relax slightly.

"Bonnie, I think you need to talk to your Grams." She said gently. "Especially after what happened with the candles at the Lockwood party." She saw the girls eyes widen as she realised this wasn't the first time Izzy had caught her.

"I'm going to go…now." Izzy nodded as the girl raced off towards her car.

* * *

"We digitized all our archives last year." Logan led Elena into a small room in the news station. "You can pull all the remote footage right up on screen. What is it exactly you're looking for?" he asked her as she sat in front of the computer.

"An incident from 1953…if it even happened." She sighed, now unsure of herself. "At the old Salvatore boarding house?"

"All right, use keywords to search the database. It's pretty easy to navigate. And Brady down in tech will help you out with anything you need." Logan shook the mouse and the screen lit up, allowing Elena to focus on the small white search box.

"Ok." Elena smiled gratefully as he made to leave but suddenly stopped.

"Oh, hey; could you put in a good word for me with Jenna?"

"You got it." She laughed and he left her alone with the archives. She took a deep breath before typing in her query: _Joseph Salvatore + animal attack_.

She watched the small loading icon spin for a second until the page changed to show a match: a video from June 12th 1953. Hesitantly she clicked the link and watched as the video loaded to show a black and white image of man in a bow tie standing outside the Salvatore Boarding house.

"This is Franklin Fell reporting to you from the Salvatore Boarding House, where a brutal animal attack has ended in tragedy." In the background a stretcher carrying a body covered in a white cloth exited the house and was brought to the ambulance beside the reporter. "Ok, they're bringing out the bodies. See if you can get closer." The reporter paused and looked around before pausing. "Is that the nephew?" The camera panned to show a man standing half concealed by shadows. "Look it's the family." The man was joined by another figure: a female.

Elena paused the video and panned it back a few frames before zooming in. She felt a gasp escape her as the bigger image revealed the figures to very closely resemble Stefan and Izzy. She fell back into the seat as the image moved on to show Izzy lean in and whisper to Stefan and slowly point to the camera before taking Stefan's hand and leading him into the Boarding House, her final glance back to the camera confirming that it was in fact the same Izzy currently living with her: same age, same locket, 56 years ago.

* * *

"Have you seen Elena?" Stefan asked after stumbling upon Izzy as she swept the pavements of the school, trying to clear the soapy residue from the car wash.

"No, not for a while." She said, keeping her promise to not tell anyone where the girl had gone.

"You think she went home?"

"Probably." She leant against the broom and sighed. "On a separate note: is Zach answering your calls?" Stefan fished his phone from his pocket and quickly dialled the Salvatore Boarding house but frowned when no one answered.

"Apparently not."

"Stef, I've got a bad feeling…" She ran a hand through her unruly hair. "And I haven't seen Caroline in a while either…you don't think he…" She trailed off as Stefan frowned.

"He's not strong enough for a psychic connection…surely?"

"He said it himself: he's stronger than we think…it's possible…" she mused as they shared a look. The sound of the wooden broom hitting the pavement was all that was left of their conversation as the pair blurred away from the scene and onto the porch of the Boarding House.

They pushed the already open door and stepped into the hallway of the grand house.

"Can you smell that?" She whispered as the unmistakable scent of fresh blood filled her nostrils. She turned and jumped as Stefan's face was already beginning to react to the human blood in the air. "Go see if you can find anything…I'll follow the scent."

Izzy followed the invisible blood trail to the cellar where she let out a gasp as she halted in front of an unmoving body. She glanced at the brick wall opposite the now open cell, that had only hours ago housed Damon, and saw a smear of blood shine against the dark bricks and knew that the body hadn't been drained of blood but had instead had its neck snapped as the door had been flung open and Damon had enacted his revenge. She crouched and found a single blonde hair on the stone floor and felt a sigh escape her: Caroline.

She gently tilted the body's head and felt it flop in her hand.

"Oh Zach, I'm so sorry."

* * *

Elena felt numb as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She managed a small smile to Logan as he exited Jeremy's room and pointed him towards the right door for the bathroom. She completely missed the fact that he slowly pocketed something on his way to the bathroom.

Sitting on the edge of her bed she felt all colour drain from her as she thought about all that hadn't made sense since the Salvatore's came to town:

Izzy's unblemished hand after Jeremy cut it with a bottle at the football game…the way Stefan's face changed at the party by the Falls…The bite marks on Caroline…Vikki telling Matt a vampire attacked her…and the fact that Stefan and Izzy haven't aged a day since 1953…

She felt all the hairs on her arms stand on end as it all pieced together. She stood abruptly and fled from the house: she had to know.

* * *

The sun had set by the time Stefan and Izzy had moved Zach and they moved silently around the small room in the cellars that contained a variety of shotguns and other weapons.

"Here." Stefan tossed her a box of wooden bullets which she quickly loaded into the handgun on a nearby shelf. "Ready?" His knuckles were white as they clenched around a thick, wooden stake.

"No." She whispered, the gun feeling unnaturally heavy in her hands. "But we've gotta find him." She turned and stalked from the room, Stefan hot on her heels.

She flung open the front door; gun in hand, ready to track down the vampire now free in the town.

"Izzy?" The female vampire paused as Elena stood, poised to knock on the other side of the doorway.

"Elena…" She tried to hide the gun behind her but the girl zeroed in on it instantly before settling on the stake in Stefan's hands.

"What are you?" She whispered and Izzy knew that tonight she would not be trapping Damon, no; tonight she would have to finally reveal herself.

"You'd better come in."


	6. Lost Girls

_Mystic Falls, Virginia, 1864_

" _Remind me why you must leave us again so soon?" Isabella pouted as she strolled through the luscious gardens of the Salvatore Estate, arm-in-arm with Damon._

" _The Confederacy is moving and I am to be recalled to the battle lines." He told her with a frown as he embraced his final few days of leave. "Trust me, had I the choice I would forever wander these grounds with you, dear Izzy." The duo shared a grin at his words and they turned to float through the small hedged maze._

" _You know your father hates it when you call me that." She laughed before mimicking the voice of Giuseppe Salvatore: "It is improper for a woman of your standing to be surrounded by ill-mannered men."_

_The pair strolled in silence for a while, enjoying the soft breeze that surrounded them and the taking comfort in the simple act of being together again._

" _It's remarkable how just being in one's own clothes can make a man feel better." Damon remarked as he glanced down at the plain white shirt and trousers he wore as they stopped to rest on a nearby bench. "Lord knows that uniform is made entirely out of brambles and thorns."_

" _You complain yet I know you love the way the village girls stare when you walk into town wearing it." She teased as she fingered the soft material of the dress Giuseppe had insisted she wear to greet their guest arriving that afternoon. "Will you be back in time for the Founders Ball?" She asked and watched as a frown fell over Damon's face._

" _I don't know." He sighed. "My leave could be scheduled for any time and I won't find out in time to write you."_

" _Oh." Her face fell. Despite the numerous eligible men residing in Mystic Falls, it was more than common knowledge that Miss Isabella Maxwell was currently un-attached and so would likely be forced to attend the Ball with whomever Giuseppe Salvatore found most respectable. "I had hoped you'd be able to rescue me from the hell of a town Ball."_

" _I-"_

" _Damon, Isabella!" The pair looked up to see a very excited Stefan calling out for them. "She's here!" Isabella smiled at the boy who dashed back into the house and rose from the bench._

" _Come." She held a hand out to Damon who reluctantly rose. "We must greet our guest in your father's absence."_

" _You must be Miss Pierce." Isabella and Damon emerged onto the porch just as Stefan took their guest's hand._

" _Please; call me Katherine."_

* * *

"You'd better come in."

The words hung in the air as Elena stubbornly remained outside the house.

"What are you?" She reiterated, her words harsher this time. Isabella felt her stomach drop as she saw the realisation in Elena's eyes. She closed her eyes tightly as the girl repeated her question once again.

"You know." Stefan's words were like bullets to Izzy.

"No, I don't." Izzy knew Elena desperately wanted to believe her own words but her voice was crackling slightly on each syllable.

"Yes you do; or you wouldn't be here." Izzy's words came out as a whisper as she slowly reopened her eyes to see tears in Elena's.

"It's not possible…it can't be." Izzy wanted nothing more than to take Elena in her arms and tell her it was all a cruel joke; that she was her sister, a perfectly normal, human sister who wasn't on her way to hunt down her ex-best friend who just happened to be a thoroughly pissed off vampire.

"Everything you know..." Stefan took a step towards the girl and dropped the stake from his hands. "…and every belief that you have is about to change. Are you ready for that?" Elena moved away from them, her whole world crumbling as she said the words that would forever change everything:

"What are you?"

"Vampire." Izzy spoke before Stefan and saw Elena's knees begin to buckle as she stumbled backwards to clutch the wall behind her.

"I shouldn't have come."

"Elena, please…" Izzy reached out to the girl who flinched and began to run as fast as she could from the house and the monsters on its porch. Izzy took a deep breath before she allowed herself to flash in front of the girl, effectively blocking her path.

"How did you do that?"

"Please don't be afraid of me." She begged. "Elena, it's me: Izzy, I'm still your sister things are just-" She tried to place her hands on Elena's shoulders and show her the truth.

"You're a monster!" Izzy recoiled from her words as though she had been slapped.

"There are things you have to know and understand." Her voice was almost like a whimper as Izzy desperately tried to explain herself.

"Get away from me!" Crestfallen, Izzy allowed Elena to push past her and lock herself in her car before speeding away.

"Izzy…" Stefan appeared beside her and tried to lead her back into the house. "…Just giver her time, you'll see-"

"I have to make her understand." She pulled out of his embrace. "I have to protect her." She let go of his hand. "But I have to do this alone."

* * *

Elena bolted from her car and made her way into the Gilbert House, checking no one was behind her. There was no way Izzy would make it this far without her noticing!

She ran upstairs and locked her bedroom door behind her before sliding down its solid frame and falling into a heap on the floor.

"You have to know that I would never hurt you." Elena's head snapped up at the sound of another voice in the room; a voice she knew well.

"How did you get in here?" She asked with tear filled eyes from the floor.

"There's so much I have to tell you; so much I have to explain but please, you need to know that I would never, I could never hurt you or anyone in this house." Izzy paused as she rose from the window seat. "You're my family, Elena." She crouched in front of the girl. "You, Jeremy, Jenna…hell even Caroline and Bonnie! You're all so important to me and I wouldn't harm a single hair on any of your-"

"The animal attacks…" Elena found her voice and interrupted the woman. "…All those people who died." She snatched her hand from Izzy's. "You-"

"No." Izzy cut her off with a single word. "No." She stood and lifted the girl to her feet. "That was Damon." She led her to her bed and forced her to sit on the mattress.

"Damon?"

"Yes, Damon." She sighed. "Look, this isn't how I wanted you to find out. Hell, I didn't even want you **to** find out!" She paced in front of the stoic girl. "I'll explain everything to you Elena." She promised the girl. "But I beg you, Elena, do **not** tell anybody."

"How can you ask me that?" Her voice was cold as she spoke.

"Because you knowing this is dangerous for so many reasons. You can hate me, but I need you to trust me." The women locked eyes and Izzy searched for any trace of her sister in the emotionless orbs.

"Go."

"What?" Izzy asked as she moved away from the girl.

"Just go." Elena told her. "If you mean me no harm you'll go."

"What just leave you here after I've told that I'm a…" She lowered her voice. "…a _vampire_?" She ran a hand through her hair. "Elena I don't think you understand how dangerous this is because-"

"I want you to leave." Elena rose and closed her bedroom window, keeping her back to Izzy as she spoke. "Not just this room, but this house." Izzy felt all hope leave her. "I don't think that you understand; **you're the danger**. So get out."

There was silence as Elena finished speaking. After a moment she turned, expecting to see Izzy standing there, but was met with nothing.

* * *

Izzy ignored the tears falling down her cheeks as she waited for her knock to be answered. She played with the keys in her hand and only looked up when the dark wooden door in front of her opened.

"Hey." Stefan's eyes zeroed in on the tears and felt his heart break even more. "You okay?"

"No." She finally reached up to wipe away the tears. "Mind if I crash here for a while?" Stefan was silent as he processed what the words meant: Elena had kicked her out.

"Of course." He held the door open further for her to step into the panelled foyer of the Boarding House. "Zach never really changed anything here so your room is still-" He was interrupted by the shrill ringing of his phone. "Hello?" He moved away from Izzy as she stared numbly into the flames dancing in the fireplace in the living area.

"I want my ring." Izzy turned to face Stefan as her vampire hearing deciphered Damon's voice.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the sizzler; I had the buffet." Izzy closed her eyes in disbelief as she expanded her hearing and picked up the subtle sounds of a bonfire and pictured the blood-drained bodies lying in the flames. "Where's my ring?"

"I don't have it." Stefan and Izzy locked eyes as she felt for the chain hanging between her breasts. "Where are you? What have you done?"

"No, no, no." Stefan knew he'd said the wrong thing as Damon's voice darkened. "What have **you** done? You're the one that locked me in the basement and starved me, so whatever I've done, whoever I've sucked dry is on you, buddy." Izzy snatched the phone from Stefan.

"You're being careless; this town isn't stupid; how many more animal attacks are they going to believe Damon? You want your ring?" She growled at the vampire. "You better stop snacking on the locals and start being the patient Damon I know you are deep down."

"What, did you FedEx it to Rome?! Where is it? I want my ring Iz, or I'll start banging down your door."

"You're more than welcome to knock Damon, but seeing as it's your house you might as well come on in and face me like a man."

There was silence on the other end as he tried to decipher her words.

"Just get it." He snarled before hanging up.

"Izzy…" She said nothing as she handed Stefan the phone back. "…Are you-"

"No, Stef, I'm not okay." She told him. "But I've bought us some time so now I'm going to go to bed and then in the morning, I'm going to force Elena to listen to me before I even give Damon a thought."

* * *

Never had Izzy been more aware that she was wearing yesterday's clothes than now. She felt herself fidget in the cool metal seat outside the Mystic Grill and surreptitiously sniff the air to make sure it was the homeless man across the road and not her that she could smell. Her head snapped up as the chair opposite her scraped across the pavement and Elena was suddenly facing her.

"Elena…hey…I…uhhh…I wasn't sure if you'd come…" Izzy flinched at how pathetic she sounded and realised that quivering people outside a café were the sorts she used to prey on.

"You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet me here." Izzy nodded as two coffees appeared in front of them by a passing waitress. "When you Google "vampire" you get a world of fiction. What's the reality?" Izzy's eyes widened at how direct she was being.

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know." Izzy leant back and allowed the sun to caress her skin as Elena pondered for a moment.

"I know you eat garlic; there was so much of it in that Chicken Parmesan that it would have killed Dracula, but not you." Izzy laughed at her words but stopped when Elena's raised eyebrow told her this was very much serious. "And somehow, sunlight's not an issue." She gestured to Izzy's almost relaxed pose in the sunlight.

"Lapis Lazuli." Izzy told her as she held up her locket and let it dangle between her fingers. "I got a locket and the boys got rings."

"Crucifixes?"

"Decorative."

"Holy Water?"

"Drinkable and surprisingly tastes very much like water that's just had a lot of hands in it; not very holy at all."

"Mirrors?"

"You've seen me look in mirrors. Do you really think I could do eyeliner without one?"

"Blood?" Izzy stalled at this question. All relief at being able to speak semi-freely about being a vampire with the one human she loved most; vanished.

"Necessary." She began shifting uncomfortably again. "But not solely limited to a human source." She saw Elena's interest pique at this and launched into her explanation. "Stefan drinks animal blood; it keeps him alive but not as strong. Damon on the other hand very much prefers human, especially if it's willing to put up a fight."

"And you?"

"Human." Izzy shrugged. "But not to the same extent as Damon; I'm a snacker and he's a drainer." She ran a tired hand through her hair. "All those hook-ups were an excellent cover for nutrition…"

"You said it doesn't keep Stefan strong…?"

"Yeah, there's a benefit to drinking human blood: it allows you to embrace every perk of being a vampire: strength, speed, compulsion…" She trailed off at the horrified look on Elena's face.

"And you let him get involved with Caroline?!"

"Telling Damon to not do something is far riskier than letting him do and getting bored halfway through."

"He was hurting her!"

"He was feeding on her; he was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion. She never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have." She hated being so blasé about all of this but it was so much easier to be blunt than try and explain Damon's actions.

"Is that supposed to make it okay?"

"No." Izzy sighed. "None of this is okay, Elena. I know that."

There was silence as Elena digested all of the information. Izzy sighed at how much had changed in such a short amount of time. Two days ago she and Elena would have sat here discussing boys and parties, not which type of blood is of more nutritional benefit to vampires and whether it's ethical to feed and erase.

"Are there any others?" Elena broke the silence. "Aside from you, Stefan and Damon?"

"Not in Mystic Falls, not anymore." Izzy assured her as she sipped her coffee.

"Not anymore?"

"There was a time when this town was very much…aware of vampires, and it didn't end well for anybody." Izzy tried to repress the flashbacks as she spoke. "That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone."

"I can't promise that." She whispered.

"Elena…" Izzy took the girls hand across the table. "…I'm still your sister: I'm still Izzy!"

"I know that I just…"

"Give me today." She practically begged. "Give me today to answer any questions you have and when it's over…you can decide for yourself what you wanna do with what you know." Izzy grinned when Elena gave a small nod.

* * *

Izzy craned her neck as she drove through the woods; the barely-there dirt track they were following was just big enough to let the SUV through the maze of trees and shrubs.

"God, it's been so long since I was here last." She mumbled as she rolled to a stop in a small clearing. "Right, we're here." She grinned at Elena and swung open her door.

"Where are we?" Elena asked as she propped open her door and jumped a little as Izzy flashed to her side to hold it open. "That's going to take some getting used to." She mumbled as Izzy led them to two small pillars marking a dirt path.

"I want to show you something."

"In the middle of nowhere?"

"Oh contraire Miss Gilbert; this didn't used to be nowhere, this was one of the most opulent estates in Mystic Falls."

"And?" Another voice joined them as Stefan stepped out of the forest and stood beside Izzy.

"And…it used to be our home." Izzy let her fingers gently touch the pillars they stood beside.

"It looks so…"

"Old?" Stefan offered as he moved to beside Elena. "It's because it is." They were silent as they watched Izzy gaze at the now empty plot of land.

"Wait…" Elena caught their attention again as she took in the height of the trees that had grown on the plot and how crumbled the pillars at the entrance were. "…How long have you-"

"I've been 17 since 1864." Stefan told her.

"Oh. My. God." Elena stared dumb-struck at the boy before turning to Izzy. "And you?"

"I'm 166 years old, Elena." She told her sister, her hand still resting on the stone pillars of the Salvatore Estate. "I'm not gonna hold anything back." She smiled at Stefan, glad that they could finally be who they are.

"Half a century before the boarding house was even built; this was my family's home." Stefan told her. "Damon and I...we were both born here and Iz came to live with us when I was 6."

"The Salvatore brothers and little Izzy Maxwell: best friends."

* * *

_The sun was high in the sky as Stefan and Damon came running out of the Salvatore House._

" _Wait, where did you learn this game?" Stefan asked as he chased the oval ball clutched under Damon's arm._

" _A camp outside Atlanta; one of the officers picked it up at Harvard." Damon grinned. "Catch." He threw it high in an arc to his younger brother._

" _Wait a minute…wait…what are the rules?" Stefan asked as Damon began running straight towards him. "What are the rules?" He laughed as his brother tried to tackle him._

" _Who needs rules?" The brothers straightened as Katherine and Isabella exited the house laughing. "Mind if we join?"_

" _Uh…well…you could…uhh…you could get hurt." Stefan stammered as the women shared a look._

" _My, my, Miss Pierce, it would appear that young Master Salvatore is afraid we'll beat him." Isabella grinned._

" _I quite agree Miss Maxwell." Katherine smiled coyly._

" _No, no, it's just that my brother likes to play rough." Stefan gestured to Damon who was grinning at the women as they descended into the garden and stood opposite the men._

" _Good, we like a challenge and besides…I think you play rougher." Katherine grinned at Isabella before snatching the ball from Stefan's hands and throwing it to Isabella before the pair ran off through the garden, passing the ball back and forth while giggling._

_Damon let out a bark of laughter before taking off after the women but stopped when he noticed his brother wasn't with him._

" _Stefan! Why are you just standing there? Those are women who clearly want to be chased and I only have one pair of hands!"_

_Stefan grinned as he watched his brother make a bee-line for the laughing blonde before he took off in chase of Katherine._

* * *

"You knew Katherine in 1864?" Elena asked. "You both did?"

"She was my best friend outside of the Salvatore's." Izzy told her with a sad smile.

"1864." Elena breathed. "Damon made it seem like…"

"Damon was trying to make you think I was still heartbroken." Stefan told her. "He saw that I was happy with you and he wanted to ruin it."

"All because you loved the same woman 145 years ago?" Elena asked in disbelief.

"She wasn't just any woman."

* * *

_Laughter filled the air as Katherine ran through the hedged maze in the Salvatore gardens. Her skirts bunched in her hands she glanced behind her and rejoiced that she was beating Stefan to the end of the maze._

_She reached the end of the hedges and reached out to touch the statue guarding the exit._

" _Ha! I win!" She turned to Stefan as he too exited the maze. "What's my prize?"_

" _What would you like it to be?" Stefan and Katherine turned to see a figure relaxing on a small stone bench partially hidden by the trees._

" _They extended your leave?" Stefan beamed as he moved to embrace his brother._

" _I was simply having too much fun to return to battle." He told them with a grin as a streak of blonde came running through the garden and landed straight in his arms with a peal of laughter. "Besides…" He locked eyes with the blonde. "…I believe I have a Ball to attend."_

" _Your commitment to the confederacy is inspiring." Stefan laughed at the dopey smile on his brother's face._

" _Well this works out wonderfully!" Katherine exclaimed. "Now we have both of you to keep us entertained and we can all go together to the ball!"_

_Isabella and Damon grinned at each other before Stefan broke them apart._

" _Uh-oh, here comes father." Isabella sprung from Damon's embrace and straightened her skirts as Damon adjusted his uniform, they shared a small smile just as the man approached them._

* * *

"So of course Stefan escorted her to the ball at the original Lockwood mansion." Izzy told Elena as they wandered through the old estate.

"The first Founders Party." Elena pieced together the information. "Where you all signed the registry."

"But Miss Katherine grew bored of having the attentions of just one brother." Stefan interjected as they stumbled upon a small marble bench, partially concealed by trees. Izzy smiled as she noted the geography of the bench and leant against the tallest tree as Elena took the seat. "It became a competition and…"

"And she broke the bond of the Salvatore brothers." Izzy said quietly. "Soon we all became completely different people; they were both utterly devoted to Katherine and all of a sudden I was uninterested in their friendship. Only Katherine mattered, she was the only thing on our minds."

"So who won?" Elena asked. "You said it became a competition…so who won?"

"No-one." Stefan told her. "We all lost."

"What Katherine wanted, she got; whether it was the friendship of Mystic Fall's most eligible socialite." Izzy gestured to herself. "Or the unwavering love of the Salvatore brothers."

"Whenever I believed Katherine was truly mine, it turns out that she was with Damon too." Stefan told her. "We were oblivious to the fact that we were being played; that we had become the playthings of a creature of our nightmares."

* * *

" _Good morning!" Isabella watched Katherine breeze into the room as the blonde stood at the mirror, her handmaid tightening her corset._

" _Katherine." Isabella greeted the woman but stopped as the corset tightened around her torso. "How can I…uh…be of service?"_

" _Clear the room please." Katherine deftly dismissed the maid and took her place behind Isabella. "How are you feeling today, dear?"_

" _Much better, thank you." Isabella smiled as Katherine picked up the corset strings._

" _Yes, we were all so worried when you and Damon came home, soaking wet and shivering." Isabella thought back to the previous day when Damon and she had escaped Giuseppe and ventured into town, just as the month's heaviest rainfall made an appearance. "Speaking of Damon…" Katherine broke Isabella's reverie. "…You two are very close."_

" _We're best friends." Isabella smiled wistfully. "Have been ever since we met." Katherine shared her smile before pulling on the corset strings as hard as possible. Isabella let out a cry as she felt her ribs being crushed by the whale-bone corset._

" _Not anymore." Katherine whispered and the two women locked eyes in the mirror. "Now you are simply…friends. No more balls, no more adventures, nothing." Isabella felt her resolve weaken as she watched Katherine's pupils dilate and the contract in a rhythmical pattern. "Stefan and Damon are mine; they love me." She let out a humourless laugh. "Oh my dear, sweet Izzy, if only you knew the things that went on across the hall." She gave one last tug on the corset strings before typing a tight knot in the back and watching Isabella crumple to the floor, all memories of the conversation wiped from her memory as her lungs constricted._

" _Oh goodness, darling Isabella!" Katherine called out in shock and waited for the sound of footsteps to reach them. She knelt beside the blonde, carefully arranging her skirts as Damon and Stefan came running into the room. "I don't know what happened!" She moved away from the girl as Damon rushed to her side and deftly ripped apart the corset strings, allowing Isabella to breathe once more. "I was walking out of my room when I saw the maid leave quickly and when I walked past I found her laying here…" She watched as Damon cradled the woman he adored but concealed a grin when Isabella appeared to barely know him._

* * *

"It would be so much easier to control us all if we felt almost nothing for each other. She compelled each of us to keep the secret from the others; she wanted all of us to be together – together in our adoration of her." Izzy retrieved a long chain from underneath her shirt as she spoke and cradled it in her hands.

"Is that Damon's ring?" Elena asked as the silver ring caught the sun.

"We took it from him." Izzy told her. "But now, we have to give it back."

"No, don't Iz." Elena rose from the bench and stood before her sister. "Keep it hidden."

"If I don't give this to him…he'll retaliate in the only way he knows how." Izzy sighed as she stared at the initials engraved onto the ring. "And I'll be dammed if he's laying a finger on you."

* * *

"We should get going soon." Izzy mumbled as she looked up at the afternoon sky. "It'll get dark quickly and then…well I'm not spending my night tracking Damon." Stefan nodded to her as they watched Elena wander over the ruins of the Salvatore Estate.

"The mind control thing…" They perked up as she turned to them and started speaking again.

"Compulsion?" Izzy asked and the girl nodded.

"You said Katherine used it…did you ever do that to me?" Elena stared directly at Izzy as she spoke and the blonde fidgeted uncomfortably.

"No." Elena quirked an eyebrow at her words. "Never on you or Jer or Jenna…and only ever once on your parents…" Izzy started playing with the ring that now hung outside of her shirt. "And it wasn't for them to take me in; it was a long time after that – your mom noticed a small blood stain on one of my shirts after I'd snuck out to feed in the night and…I made them not ask any questions…"

"And how do I know you or Damon hasn't…compelled me?" She asked Stefan.

"That necklace, it contains an herb called vervain. It protects you from being compelled. I wanted to protect you from Damon's influence. But I also wanted to...protect you from me." He paused. "Elena, you should never take that necklace off...because no matter what happens after today, no matter how you feel about me...you'll know that you were free to make your own choice."

"We should set off." Izzy glance up at the sun once more. "It'll give us plenty of time before nightfall." Stefan and Elena nodded and followed behind the blonde vampire as they made their way to the car.

"Hey." Elena tugged Stefan back. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Elena waited until Izzy was in the car and distracted by the ring around her neck before she spoke.

"You guys have told me all about Katherine and you and Damon but…nothing really about Izzy." She nodded towards the woman in the car. "I mean, this is all way too much to try and process right now but…she's still my sister…kinda…and I want to know what she was-"

"Beautiful." Stefan told her. "From the moment she stepped foot in our house she lit the place up. And five years later, when my mom died, it was just my dad, Damon and me and…it was…quiet. But with her it was like the sun had come out from behind a cloud every time she stepped into a room. I was 11, Damon was 19 and she was 15 years old but she brought life back to the house in one of its darkest periods."

"But what about her and Damon? All day it's sounded like they were so close and now they're on opposite teams?" Stefan let out a humourless laugh at her words.

"Yeah, you wouldn't know it now but as we all got older and she became like a sister to me; Damon was infatuated with her, and she was with him. Things are definitely pretty bad between her and Damon now but…back then, when everything was so simple; they loved each other, and not just as brother and sister." He turned his focus to Izzy as she sat waiting for them, clearly lost in her own memories of her time at the Salvatore Estate. "Before Katherine came I was so sure he was going to ask her to marry him; it's what my father wanted but it's also what **he** wanted: they were perfect together and then Katherine came along and messed with our heads and they…never got back to that."

Stefan went silent as he finished and Elena turned back to the overgrown estate desperately trying to imagine what the blonde looked like back then and who she truly was.

"We'd better go; your sister's right – if we leave any later we won't get him." Elena gave a short nod and made her way to the car where Izzy was waiting.

* * *

"Three bodies were found dead in what is believed to be a drug deal gone awry." Izzy reached over to the central console of the car and turned the local radio up as the crackly voice of a news reporter filled the car. "The bodies have yet to be identified. They were discovered earlier today over at the old Mystic Falls cemetery." She bit back a growl at what was undoubtedly Damon's handiwork and deftly flicked the radio off.

"Everything okay?" Elena asked from the passenger seat as Izzy's hands tightened around the steering wheel. "You seem a little…tense?"

"I'm fine." The blonde turned and flashed the girl a smile. "Just caught up in all the memories that's all." Elena seemed happy to accept this response and turned back to stare out her window, just as she had done since they departed from the Salvatore Estate ruins. "How are you?" She asked hesitantly.

"I don't know." She answered with a sigh. "It's just so much to take in and…is that Matt's truck?" They peered at the vehicle in the Gilbert driveway as Izzy rolled to a stop.

"Vikki's here too." Izzy told her as they exited the car. "Something isn't right…"

"How do you know-"

"Super-duper hearing; one of the perks." Izzy tapped the shell of her ear in explanation. "Hey guys, what's going on?" She asked as they entered the house and headed for the three people in the kitchen.

"She's really messed up." Matt gestured to his sister, curled in a ball against the wall.

"What has she taken?" Elena asked as Izzy crouched before the girl and coaxed her into dropping her hands from her face.

"Nothing." Izzy told them as she stared into Vikki's eyes. "Vikki, hun, look at me; focus. Listen to me: you're going to be fine. Everything is going to be absolutely fine." She rose and pulled Vikki to her feet. "Guys, take her up to bed, shut the blinds and let her rest; she's gonna be ok." She handed the shaking girl to her brother and Jeremy and the pair helped her upstairs.

"You know what's wrong with her, don't you?" Elena said as Izzy slumped into a dining chair.

"Yeah."

"What is it?"

"She's transitioning." Izzy held her head in her hands as she spoke, her mind running wild with ways to slaughter Damon for being so irresponsible.

"Transitioning to what?"

"A vampire, Elena." She dropped her hands onto the hard surface of the dining table and stared at her sister. "She's becoming a vampire." She watched as Elena struggled to form a coherent word. "Damon must have gotten to her at some point this afternoon; she's still very new – hasn't completed her transformation yet." She told her as she fished her phone of her jeans and dialled Stefan.

"How…How does she do that?"

"She has to feed on human blood." Izzy said distractedly as Stefan answered. "Stef, we got a problem; Vikki Donovan is transitioning…I know…I've got her contained and…no, don't come here, go to the Boarding House and knock his teeth out, I'll meet you there."

"What if she doesn't?" Elena whispered as Izzy hung up. "What if she doesn't feed?"

"She'll die." Izzy told her bluntly. "Look Elena, I know this is hard to hear and that you're probably so confused you want to throw up and sleep for a week, but Vikki is going to get worse unless she feeds; she only has a few hours."

"Jeremy and Matt are upstairs with her right now! What if she-"

"She won't do anything to them; she doesn't know what's happening to her and I compelled her to stay calm though God knows when that's going to wear off…"

"When will she know?" Elena asked as Izzy ran a hand through her blonde waves. "When will she know that's she's becoming a vampire?"

"Right now, she doesn't remember anything: a part of her is still human, but slowly, the deeper she gets into the transition, the memories will start to come back and then she'll know she has to make the choice."

"The same choice you made?" Izzy's eyes snapped to meet Elena's as the girl realised what she said.

"The exact same choice I made, Elena. A choice I will explain to you as soon as the girl who is in **agony** upstairs is able to make a coherent decision herself." She had felt her voice rising as she spoke and stepped back as she finally noticed how Elena had moved away from the increasingly frustrated vampire. "Now, I'm going to go check on her. I'll send Matt and Jeremy down here and I'll sit with her. Like I said; I have no idea how long the compulsion is going to hold so I need to be there when…" She trailed off as Vikki Donovan sprinted down the stairs and out of the house before anyone could blink. "…when she starts to figure it all out."

"Vikki!" Matt was shouting after his sister as he and Jeremy bounded down the stairs.

"She was fine and then she just freaked out when I hugged her and-"

"I'm gonna go look for her." Matt cut across Jeremy. "I've never seen her like this before; call me if you hear anything." The girls nodded as he left and Jeremy sighed before heading back to his room.

"Call Stefan." Izzy told Elena as she pressed the girls phone into her hand. "Tell him what's happened and that I'm tracking her." She made her way to the door and groaned when she saw that the sun was setting. "Elena, what I'm about to tell you is **very** important; if Damon or Vikki show up here tonight, do **not** let them in. Lock the door and call me the second you see their faces okay?" The brunette nodded as Izzy took a deep breath and sped off.

* * *

Dinner with just her and Jeremy in the house had been uncomfortable to say the least. Every time he mentioned Vikki, she had desperately wanted to tell him everything she now knew about the woman they called 'sister'.

"Maybe we should check in with Matt." Jeremy said for the twelfth time since she they had sat down. "See if he's found her."

"He'll call Jer." She told him as she cleared the table and handed him their plates.

"Well what are we supposed to do? And where'd Iz go?"

"She's helping him Jer. They'll find her."

"So she can go look for her and I can't? She doesn't even like her!" He huffed.

"It'll be fine Jer, just-" The doorbell interrupted her. "Go upstairs Jer." She told him as she felt her body stiffen.

"What?"

"Go upstairs; call her again or see if she left anything in your room…" She pushed him out of the kitchen and towards the staircase. She waited for the sound of his door closing before she opened the door slightly and peered through the crack. With a gasp she pushed all her weight behind the wooden door but failed as it flung open anyway, sending her stumbling backwards into the hall.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Stefan finally 'fessed up?" Damon joked as he closed the door behind him.

"Stay away from me." Elena mustered all the courage she could as she desperately flicked her eyes to the coffee table where her phone lay.

"Hey, there's no need to be rude; I'm just looking for Stefan. May I come in? Oh, wait. Of course I can. I've been invited." He smirked at the family photographs lining the walls. "We can cut to the chase if you want. I'm not gonna kill you right now. That wouldn't serve my greater agenda. So...where's Stefan?" She remained silent. "Ooh, defending our boyfriend are we? Even though you know **exactly** what he is…or isn't?" He grinned as she tried to surreptiously move to the living room. "Speaking of which, where's your big sis? Shouldn't she be here making dinner and checking homework and whatever it is she does?"

"I'm not telling you anything." She said as she finally reached the entrance to the room and ran for the coffee table, her hand just closing around her phone as she ran straight into Damon.

"Tsk, tsk." He pried her fingers from the object and pocketed it. "No need to rat me out to darling Isabella." He gave her a gentle push and she fell back into a waiting armchair. "Now, you just need to tell me where **my** brother is and we can pretend that **your** brother isn't upstairs waiting to be drained like a juice box."

"They're out looking for Vikki." She couldn't look him in the eye as she spoke; hating him for his threat but feeling so guilty about betraying Izzy's location.

"They?" He mused. "Stefan and Isabella?" He grinned. "My, my, this has been an…enlightening day for you, hasn't it?"

"Judging by your still bare hand, I bet it hasn't for you." Her eyes flickered to the spot where his daylight ring should be.

"Feisty; I like it. Reminds me so much of little Vikki – now she's going to be so much fun as a vampire; no bunny diet for her." Elena glared at him. "Don't look at me with those judgey little eyes: girl's gonna thank me for what I did to her."

"Did you thank Katherine?" She watched his smirk fade.

"Got the whole life story, huh?"

"I got enough." She stared at him as the smirk returned.

"Oh I doubt that." His grin unnerved her as she contemplated whether Izzy and Stefan had neglected to tell her everything about their history. "Tell your sister that I want my ring." He was already prowling to the door when she came out of her thoughts. "Oh, and a tip for later: be careful who you invite into your home."

* * *

Izzy's hand tightened around her gun as she picked her way through the woods and toward the cemetery, her enhanced hearing had picked up soft crying from that area a few hundred yards back and she was now slowly making her way towards its origin. She kept her breathing light as she contemplated whether or not she was the only one making their way towards Vikki and if she was going to have to use her vervain-soaked ammunition on Damon.

"Vikki." She greeted the girl as she entered the small, abandoned part of the Mystic Falls cemetery. "It's fine; I'm not here to hurt you." She tucked the gun into the back of her jeans and approached her slowly, the girls' eyes untrusting. "What happened? Why'd you run?"

"I'm starting to remember things." She choked out. "What he is. What he said. What he did to me; at the party, on the rooftop…" Izzy sighed at the tear tracks on her face and joined her on the dirt ground.

"I'm so sorry; Damon had no right to do this to you."

"He said that I need to feed." She glanced at Izzy. "What will happen if I don't?"

"You'll fade quickly and then…then nothing."

"I'll be dead." Her voice was emotionless as Izzy nodded her reply.

The pair fell into silence as they sat cross-legged on the cemetery floor, the moon casting its pearly shadow over them.

"I don't want this." Vikki broke the silence.

"I know." Izzy reached out to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her into her side. "It'll be okay; you're going to be okay. I can help you." She soothed as the girl steadily cried into her shirt.

"Will you take me home?" Her voice was muffled by the shirt.

"Of course." She moved away from Vikki, rose and held her hands out to the girl. "I have some make-up in my car, Matt doesn't have to know anything." She told her as she wiped away the last of her tears. "I'm here to hel-"

A gunshot ripped through the air, and Izzy saw Vikki's eyes widen in terror as the blonde sunk to her knees. She lifted her arm to her chest and felt the unmistakable stickiness of blood pouring out of her as another shot ripped into her shoulder.

She watched helpless as the shooter stalked closer to her and groaned as their face came into view.

"Knew Jenna was too good for you." Logan simply smirked as he knelt beside her and revealed the wooden stake in his other hand. "You wouldn't." He threw her a mean smile before angling it above her heart and lifting it to strike just as Damon burst through the tree-line, deftly incapacitating him with a quick, yet brutal bite to the throat.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to wander through the cemetery at night?" He smirked as he stood over her crumpled body.

"If I came in sunlight, you wouldn't be here to save me, oh knight in shining leather." She bit out as she tried to prod for the bullet in her thorax.

"Don't poke at it; you'll drive it deeper." He sighed as he crouched beside her and quickly pulled the offending object from her and inspecting it. "It's wood."

"They know." Izzy sighed as she felt her skin begin to knit back together.

"Where's my ring?" He dropped the mini-stake onto the ground and stared at her.

"I don't have-" A snarl tore through her words as he pressed down on her still wounded shoulder.

"Sorry, what was that? Couldn't quite hear you." He waited for her to stop cursing him before he pulled the bullet from her shoulder.

"Help me up then." She sighed and he happily obliged, gently pulling her to her feet with her un-harmed arm. "Here." She lifted the chain from around her neck and pulled it from underneath her shirt. He threw her a grin as she dropped it into his outstretched palm.

"No! No!" She pulled away from him, forgetting about the ring and rushed to Vikki's side. "Vikki, no." She whispered sadly as the girl stared up at her, Logan Fell's blood smearing her mouth.

"I'm sorry." The girl said as she tried to wipe her mouth. Izzy turned from the girl and shot Damon a scowl as he shrugged at the sight.

She sighed as Stefan appeared, very much out of breath, beside his brother.

"What happened?" He asked, eyes wide as he took in the blood on her shirt, Logan Fell's body and a bloodied Vikki.

"I couldn't help her." She murmured as she stepped over Logan's body and headed to the tree-line. "You should go tell Elena; she'll be worried."

She took a step towards the Boarding House but stopped when she felt something unusually hard under her shoe, bending she brushed the dirt away and frowned at the sight of a very familiar compass lying not far from Logan's outstretched hand.

"Yeah, they definitely know." She turned and held the device up to show the brothers. "Looks like Mystic Falls hasn't changed at all."


	7. Haunted

"I don't understand why I have to stay cooped up here." Izzy rolled her eyes at the newly-turned vampire's complaining. "Why can't I just go home?"

"Because you're changing, Vikki." Stefan reminded her as Izzy slouched up the narrow staircase leading to Stefan's bedroom. "And it's not something you wanna do alone."

"Especially if you want to keep all of your brother's blood inside his body." She added as she made it to the top of the staircase, towel in hand as she dried her hair. "Epic water pressure, by the way."

"Zach made some improvements while we were gone." Stefan chuckled.

"There's nothing about that Logan guy I killed in here." Damon huffed, ignoring their exchange as he scanned the newspaper. "Not a word: someone's covering it up." He dropped his feet from Stefan's desk and leant forward to inspect the device they had recovered last night.

"What is that?" Vikki's eyes were trained on the device as Izzy plucked it out of Damon's hand.

"This…" She held it up into the path of the small sliver of light peeking into the room. "…is a very old, very special compass." She snapped it shut and ran her fingers over the intricate pattern of the pocket watch it was contained inside. "So what was Logan Fell doing with it?" She pondered.

"More importantly; where did he get it?" Damon asked and she frowned.

"My guess? He took it from the house when he was there with Jenna." She thought back to how Elena had mentioned bumping into him on the upstairs landing. "But Jer only had the watch, not the compass itself, that's come from another source."

"Wonderful." Damon drawled. "Sounds like someone's been doing a little light reading from 1864."

"Well, if you're so worried that somebody's onto you, why don't you just leave town, Damon?" Stefan smirked. "I'll even help you pack."

"We should all be worried." Damon countered as Izzy tossed him the watch.

"Hey…" They turned to face Vikki. "…um…I'm hungry." She threw her legs over the side of the armchair she was slumped in. "Do you have anything to eat?" Stefan stood and retrieved a cup from the desk.

"Here." He handed it to her and she sniffed its contents.

"What is it?"

"It's what you're craving." He told her as she sneered at the dark liquid inside.

"Ha." Damon reclaimed her attention. "Don't lie to the girl, Stefan." He picked up a nearby book and flicked through it. "It's so not what she's craving, but it'll do in a pinch, right?" He threw his brother a smirk as Stefan rolled his eyes.

"What is it?" Vikki asked again.

"Yeah, what is it, brother? Skunk? Saint Bernard? Bambi, even?"

"Stefan, as much as it pains me to say this…" Izzy plucked the cup from Vikki's hands. "…he's right; she's new so she needs proper blood – people blood." She handed him the cup. "She can't survive on that, not yet."

"Why can't I have people blood?" Vikki asked, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Yeah, Stef, why can't she have people blood?" Damon too stared at Stefan as the boy glared at him.

"Because it's **wrong** to prey on innocent people."

"You don't have to kill to feed." Izzy reminded him. "Just find someone you can seclude, bite and erase their memories." She shrugged. "It's easy and humane."

"No, no, no. There's no guarantee that you can control yourself, okay? It takes **years** to learn that. Remember?" He threw her a hard look. "You could easily kill somebody, and then you have to carry that with you for the rest of your life, which, if I haven't made clear, is **eternity**." He pressed the cup back into Vikki's hands and gave her hopeful look as she took a sip.

"Don't listen to him." Damon told her as Izzy moved to sit on the edge of the desk. "He walks on a moral plane way out of our eye line." He leant forward so he and Izzy were practically side by side, albeit on opposite sides of the furniture. "We say: snatch, eat, _erase_." Vikki contemplated his words as she continued to drink the animal blood.

"Hey, look at me." Stefan placed a hand on her arm and stared into her eyes. "We choose our own paths. Our values and our actions; they define who we are." The room was silent as she weighed up both arguments before draining the cup and handing it back to Stefan.

"Can I have some more?" Stefan grinned and led her downstairs, shooting Damon and Izzy a victorious smirk on the way down.

"Well that's going to end horribly." Izzy sighed as she ran her fingers through her damp hair. "Can't you just feel it?" She asked as he shrugged in response.

"Ooh, the party gets even more fun." Izzy raised an eyebrow at his out-of-the-blue words. "Elena's here." He told her and she extended her hearing to listen to Elena giving herself a small pep talk in her car.

"Wonderful." She sighed before speeding from the room and stopping at the door just as the doorbell rang.

"Elena!" She greeted her sister with a smile.

"Is Stefan here?" Izzy's face fell as the girl refused to acknowledge her.

"And good morning to you too, Miss 'I'm-on-a-mission'." Elena glared at Damon as he appeared behind Izzy.

"How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything that you've done?!" She spat and Izzy flinched at the words she knew were directed at Damon but still felt like bullets intended for her.

"And how can you be so stupid to call a vampire arrogant and glib?" Damon's voice darkened and Izzy stepped back to let Elena in, all while keeping between them.

"If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead."

"How are you?" Izzy interrupted their spat and Elena tore her glare from Damon to finally acknowledge Izzy.

"Where's Stefan?"

"He's upstairs singing 'Bloodlust'." Damon smirked as she glared him before storming past them.

"Okay, so here's what I don't understand; we're all vampires but the only one she doesn't hate is Stefan?" Izzy sighed as she turned and headed for the sitting room. "I mean, I get it: Stefan's a great guy but I'm supposed to be her sister! I've lived with her for years! I looked after her when Grayson and Miranda died…" She fell onto the sofa, her head in her hands. "…I told her all I could about who I am and yet…" A glass of bourbon was pressed into her hands and she looked up to see Damon standing there uncomfortably. "Sorry, I'm rambling." She took a sip of the amber liquid.

"It's fine." They fell silent as the sun poked through the hastily closed curtains. Damon glanced at his watch and snatched the glass from her hand.

"Hey!"

"Pity party's over." He told her as he drained the glass and dropped it on the coffee table. "You're coming with me." He pulled her from the sofa and pushed her into the hallway.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she shrugged into her jacket.

"We're hunting the hunters."

* * *

"We never should have trusted that Logan with the watch." Mayor Lockwood spat as he and his wife occupied a secluded booth in the Grill.

"How many are we dealing with?" She asked, leaning forward to keep their conversation as quiet as possible in the bustling restaurant.

"Well the coroner thinks one." She sighed in relief. "Something about the wound radius and jaw pattern." He shrugged.

"Are **we** in danger?" She wrung her hands as she spoke. "I mean, it's obviously got the watch, Liz said it wasn't at the scene, so it knows we know so could it come after **us**?" She paused as he paled at her question. "And should I even be saying 'it'? Is it a he or a she?"

"If **it** has any historical knowledge of the town then it'll know where the watch came from so, yes, we could very much be in danger." They glanced around the Grill and offered a few smiles and waves to the residents who recognised them.

"So what do we do?" Carol asked; her smile tight as they waved to a couple sat on the other side of the building.

"Just keep quiet." He told her. "We can't have the entire town aware of this; we need to find **it** before it finds **us**." They thanked the girl who brought them their food and shared a look before changing the topic and trying to enjoy their lunch.

"Well they probably think we're on a date." Izzy sighed as she dropped the smile she'd worn when the Mayor and Mayoress had waved to them. "But at least we know they're none the wiser." She slapped Damon's hand away from her plate as he stole a fry. "You need to drop me off at the costume store."

"Why?" He asked, stealing another fry.

"Halloween party: I may not be a kid, but I love me some free candy." She shrugged. "Plus Caroline will kill me if I'm not there; gotta play the fun big sister."

"Fine." He groaned as they stood to leave. "But I get to pick which costume."

* * *

The Boarding House was silent as Izzy slipped through the front door, a garment bag slung over her shoulder. She paused before following the sound of light conversation coming from the dining room.

"Hey." She greeted the trio sat at the table. "How's it going? Have you had the 12 steps to a bloodless life speech yet?"

"What does human blood taste like?" Vikki asked her cautiously. "I mean, it must be good, right?" Izzy eyed Elena's startled expression but decided to go ahead and answer when Vikki herself interrupted her. "And does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. This daylight thing is a bitch." She glared at the curtains. "I need more blood." She pushed her cup towards Stefan. "And where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead!" She continued her rambling as she left the room in search of the bathroom.

"I'm gonna go uh…" Stefan glanced at the cup before leaving the room.

"Man, I remember my transition like it as yesterday." Izzy reminisced as she took a seat at the table, missing Elena's raised brow. "It really is a bitch." She chuckled as Vikki re-entered.

"False alarm." She sighed as she re-took her seat. "My body's feeling really funky; it's a good funk, but it's weird." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and began dialling.

"Who are you calling?"

"Jeremy." She frowned at the phone wen the number didn't dial. "Bad signal." She snapped the phone shut.

"Vikki, you can't see Jeremy anymore." Elena told her.

"Oh come on don't you start; I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see."

"Even though you could hurt him?" Elena sounded outraged at her blasé attitude.

"I would never hurt Jeremy."

"I know you think that but we're not taking that risk." Izzy told her. "You're gonna have to let Jeremy go now."

"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow. "And how long have you two been preparing the "you're not good enough" speech? I'm assuming it predates the whole vampire thing."

"Look Vikki, Jeremy isn't getting involved in all of this. Hell, if I'd had my way, Elena wouldn't know. So deal with it."

"Or what?" Izzy scoffed at Vikki's attempts to sound threating, which she obviously took as an insult as Izzy watched her lunge to grab her.

She sighed and as Vikki was lunging she grabbed the girl and pinned her to the wall, her feet just off the ground as he eyes bulged and her hands tried to pry the hand from around her throat.

"Let's get one thing straight: you might think you're a badass little druggie whose just gotten very special powers but let me assure you that if you so much as **breath** on Jeremy I will break **every** bone in your body **over and over again** until you get the message." She seethed. "And see her…" She pointed to Elena with her free hand. "She is **my** sister and so her family and friends are under **my** protection, do you understand?!" The girl managed a nod. "Now, you might think you have some fun new toys to play with and oh wouldn't it be **amazing** to get revenge on anyone who ever put you down or called you a whore but I won't think twice about ripping your pretty little head off and feeding it to a wolf, **do you understand**?" She dropped the girl before she could respond and let her flee from the room.

"Was that necessary?" Stefan sighed as he stood in the doorway holding a cup of animal blood.

"Very. Every new vampire tests the boundaries so I figure, I tell her where she stands now and we have fewer problems later." She picked up the garment bag and slung it back over her shoulder. "And you and I both know that I'd have done the same if she was threatening you or hell, even Damon. **No-one** touches my family."

"Why is she so volatile?" Elena asked as Stefan set the cup down.

"She's on edge. Imagine every sense in your body operating at super speed. I mean, she's uncomfortable in her own skin. And then when you throw in her other issues..."

"How long before she settles?"

"Could be hours, days, weeks…there's no rule book." Izzy told her. "Every vampire is different and some…well some never get used to it."

"How long did it take you?" She asked Izzy who was shocked that her sister was finally speaking directly to her.

"Not long, but only because Katherine had prepped me. She told me what to expect and how to cover my tracks so when the time came, it was just a matter of perfecting…portion size…" Elena flinched at her words.

"And you?"

"A while." Stefan sighed. "But I didn't have anybody helping me: I had to do it on my own. The thing is it's hard to resist certain people especially when you're new. It's difficult to separate your feelings: Love, lust, anger, desire...it can all blur into one urge; hunger." The room fell silent after he stopped and Izzy hiked the garment bag back into a comfortable position.

"Well I need to go hang this up so I guess I'll you later." She made to leave the room but Elena's question stopped her;

"What's in the bag?"

"My costume for tonight." Izzy grinned. "Man, I love Halloween."

"You're still going?" Elena rose from her seat, her eyes wide with shock. "After everything that's happened, you're still going to the party?!"

"Just cause someone grows a set of fangs it doesn't mean the world stops."

"How can you be so…so…blasé about this?!" Elena cried. "Vikki Donovan is a vampire who can't control her urges and that's all because Damon was bored! How can you justify dressing up and having fun when Matt's sister is pretty much dead?"

"Look Elena, I love you; you're my sister, but I've had enough of this! Okay, sure, I'm a vampire and I didn't tell you, but can't you see that I was just keeping you safe? If I had told you and your parents then it would have somehow gotten out and that psycho upstairs who created a new vampire out of boredom would have gotten to town sooner and probably without his much calmer brother and massacred the whole lot of you just to hurt me!" Her voice filled the quiet house. "So long story short: I'm a vampire – get over it, or get out."

* * *

"Tricky Vikki bolted again."

"Are you serious?!" Izzy groaned as she stared at her reflection in the mirror of her en-suite. "Again?"

"Stefan's out playing the dashing hero again so we'll be seeing her soon."

"Why'd you do it, Damon?" She asked as she leant against the doorway to the bathroom and stared at the vampire lounging on her bed. "Why'd you have to turn everything to shit?"

"It's a talent."

"But it's not who you are, not really." She sat next to his reclined body on the mattress. "What happened to you, Damon? Why'd you get so mean?"

"Isn't it time you got into costume Dr Venkman?"

"Fine." She rose from the bed and padded to her closet where the garment bag hung on one of the rails. "Don't talk to me, but I will figure out why you really came home, Sigourney."

* * *

The Grill was packed with people meeting up or pre-drinking before they went to the party in the middle of town. Izzy picked through the crowd, the stiletto heels of her boots allowing her to pivot at ease to greet other residents as she searched for any sign of Vikki.

"Mrs Lockwood." She bit back a groan as she honed in on Damon as he schmoozed the Mayoress. "Let me guess…Daisy Buchanan?" She turned to watch their exchange and smiled lightly as she took in the woman's flapper dress. "I love a good 'Gatsby' look." She rolled her eyes as a blush tinged the woman's cheeks.

"Mr Salvatore." She gestured for him to join her in the empty booth. "So good to see you again." She gratefully accepted the martini he slid towards her. "How is Miss Forbes? The sheriff informed me you were dating."

"Ah, she had a school-girl crush on me. It was cute but I had to let her down easy."

"Hopefully in favour of the wonderful Miss Maxwell?" Izzy watched as Damon slid an easy grin onto his lips at her question.

"Miss Maxwell and I are…in the process of getting to know each other. In fact…" He turned and gestured for her to join them. Damn him. "…here she is now."

Izzy moved across the room to join the pair and mirrored Damon's grin as she slid in beside him.

"How are you Carol?" She asked, her smile becoming even more forced as Damon relaxed into the booth and slung an arm along it's back, his fingers gently playing with the ends of her hair.

"Absolutely wonderful." The woman beamed a she watched them. Izzy wondered if that were true or if the woman was just pleased her match-making had seemed to work. "A…lovely costume Isabella…very…Halloween-y." Izzy glanced down at the cream playsuit and shifted uncomfortably, realising just how short it was.

"Yes…well…I just love Halloween!"

"How's Zach? I haven't heard from him lately." Carol asked as Izzy tried to adjust her costume.

"He's gone out of town for a while. Can I pass a message on?" Damon played the picture of innocence so well as he spoke.

"No, it's nothing just a few…memos he hasn't replied to regarding the Founder's Council."

"Oh, the vervain." Damon commented. "Makes sense, he said you'd be calling soon."

"You know about the vervain?" Izzy watched the Mayoress' interest pique. "Both of you?"

"Well, I am a Salvatore." He shrugged. "And Izzy here represents both the Maxwell's and the Gilbert's so of course we do."

"Of course…" She appeared to mulling this information over. "…of course."

"So you need more vervain?" Izzy asked.

"Yes." She swirled her glass and watched the liquid almost spill out. "My husband and I only have left what his parents left him, and Zach had promised that he could supply us with more."

"Well I talk to him all the time, why don't I just ask him?" Damon offered as Izzy pinched his thigh under the table as a warning to not be so obvious. "Or I suppose you could just wait until he comes back, I'm sure he'll only be a couple of months."

"Months?!"

"Mmm, something about 'seeing the world outside of Mystic Falls', you know what Zach's like; once he gets an idea…"

"I'm not sure how much we've got left and especially now…" She trailed off as she realised what she was alluding to.

"How much do you need?" Izzy asked, noting the relief in the woman's eyes as she didn't ask for an elaboration. "I mean; how many people?"

"Well there are our children, of course." She marked them off on her fingers. "Friends, family and everyone on the council…"

"The council?" Damon probed but she continued talking.

"Zach will know the numbers when you speak with him." She finished her drink. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am so late; my husband is not going to be happy with me." She rose from the booth. "Thank you for your help and please give your uncle my regards."

"Are you heading to the school?" Izzy asked, stopping her from leaving. "I'll join you, Lord knows it's too dark to walk all that way alone, and besides; I saw at least 10 vampires on the way in." She joked, gesturing to the numerous people sporting plastic fangs.

"If only the real ones were as easy to find." Carol sighed as Izzy linked their arms and with a small wave to Damon, they exited the Grill.

"How's that search going?" Her words alarmed Carol who seemed to be replaying their conversation in her head to make sure she hadn't let anything slip. "Miranda and Greyson filled me in." Izzy lied. "They were so loyal to this town, so focused on keeping it safe." She stopped as though the thought of her adoptive parents was too much. "It kills me that as soon as they were gone, some monster invaded our precious town and put so many innocent lives at risk."

"Oh my dear, I had no idea how informed you were." Carol gave her a small hug before the pair started walking again. "It truly is a tragedy that they aren't here to help, especially with all their knowledge." They were approaching the school when Carol added: "Anyway, we tried to determine who the…" She looked around to see if anyone was listening and whispered, "…vampire is at the Founders Party. Anyone who arrived during **daylight** such as yourself and Mr Salvatore were obviously, eliminated from the list."

"Of course; no sunlight for the monster."

"Exactly, and then those few who came when the sun had set turned out to be just dead ends. Oh well." She spotted her husband waving her over. "I must go dear, lovely speaking with you!" She called behind her as she joined her husband and Izzy entered the throng of people loitering outside the party.

"Hey Bon." She greeted the girl dressed ironically as a witch as she stood guard over a cauldron of candy. "Ooh, I'll have one of those." She reached into the cauldron and retrieved a handful of sweets. "How was your week end with Grams?"

"Uh, exhausting." She took one of the pieces of candy from Izzy's outstretched hand and popped it into her mouth. "It was a two-day history lesson; no actual witchy stuff at all."

"Boo." Izzy pouted.

"I know!" She sighed. "But I told her about the whole candle thing at the Founders Party and she told me to keep it quiet so no-one goes poking around. Bo-ring."

"Ahh, poor Bon-Bon." Izzy joked as she reached for more candy. "Love the wig by the way." She pulled the ends of the white-blonde wig teasingly before she noticed the amber amulet hanging around her neck.

"Not nearly as eye-catching as your costume though." Bonnie teased as she took in the Ghostbusters logo stitched onto the playsuit. "Very…aerating." She chuckled as Izzy struck a pose in the short playsuit with a deep-V.

"Interesting necklace." She reached out to touch the smooth stone but recoiled as the amber burnt the tips of her fingers.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie frowned as the blonde hissed and she noticed the red, blistered tips of her friend's fingers. "Oh my God, what happened, are you-"

"I'm fine." She cut her off. "Have you seen Elena?" She waited for the girl to shake her head before practically sprinting away.

She paused in a dark alcove inside the school and watched as her skin healed. How could Damon handle the stone at the Lockwood House, but she couldn't? Interesting.

"No! Stop!" She stood straighter as her hearing picked up Jeremy's voice. "Vikki! No!"

She felt a cloud of rage come over her as she realised the vampire had ignored her warning. With a growl she pushed off the wall and sped through the school, towards Jeremy, without a single person noticing.

"Hello dear." She cooed as she stopped directly in front of Vikki, effectively blocking Elena and Jeremy from the vampire. "Looks like we need to have another little chat." Vikki bared her now-elongated fangs at her and charged towards the blonde who simply flicked her away, sending her flying into a pile of garbage bags. "Elena, take your brother inside. Vikki and I are going to have a heart-to-heart." She crouched and picked up a discarded plank of wood before snapping it in halt and tossing it between her hands.

The girl reached for her brother's hand and all but dragged him back toward the building as Vikki rose from the floor. With a smirk, Vikki sped from her spot and blocked Elena's path back to the school. She flung Jeremy out of the way and lunged for Elena, her fangs scraping at the girl's neck before she was dragged off her by her hair.

"Which part of; under my protection, did you not understand?" Izzy growled as she threw her to the floor before pinning her in place with one of the halves of wood. She stood back as the girl gasped for breath and clawed at the make-shift stake sticking out of her chest as her skin slowly turned grey. "No-one touches my family." She whispered as Elena and Jeremy clung together.

She reached into the small pocket in on her costume and pulled out her phone. She glanced at the siblings as she dialled.

"I've dealt with Vikki, get your brother; we've got a clean-up to do."

* * *

"You should go; I got this." Damon said nonchalantly as he eyed Vikki's body.

"You did this." Elena spat at him. "This is **all** your fault."

"You confuse me with someone capable of remorse." Izzy rolled her eyes at their exchange as she knelt beside Vikki and pulled the stake from her heart before closing the girl's eyes and desperately hoping she was at rest.

"My sister just had to kill someone and my brother is probably scarred for life because you were **bored**!" She cried. "You disgust me."

"Let's not pretend you're actually going to grieve for her." He scoffed. "Your brother will get over her and oh, trust me, this is not the first time little Izzy has rammed a stake through someone, you're lucky that this one was considerably less violent." Elena balked at his words before reaching up to slap him. "Cute." He commented as he held her wrist in a vice-like grip.

"Let her go, Damon." Izzy told him, exhaustion lacing her words. He eyed the young brunette carefully before releasing her. "Stefan will take you and Jer home; he's waiting in his car for you." She told the girl. "I'll be there soon to check you over, just stay inside." Elena nodded at her no-nonsense tone and led her brother away from the scene.

"You should go with them." Damon said quietly as she rose from her spot next to Vikki.

"No, I need to do this, for Matt. Someone who actually knew her should do this." They moved to stand either end of Vikki. "Your car or mine?"

* * *

Stefan was sat on the porch steps as she parked in front of the Gilbert house. She took a moment to mull over the day's events before slipping out into the night.

"Where are they?" She asked him as she approached the front door.

"Upstairs." He said quietly. "Jeremy is-"

"Yeah…I know." She pushed open the door. "Night Stef." She pressed a kiss to his cheek before closing the door behind her and climbing the stairs to Jeremy's bedroom.

She stood in the doorway watching the brother and sister sit together on the bed before she made her way into the room.

"Do you understand what happened tonight?" She asked them.

"No." Jeremy looked up at her with tear-filled eyes. "I don't…I mean, I know what I saw but…I don't understand."

"Vikki Donovan was going to kill your sister. I stopped her."

"You killed her."

"I stopped her." She reiterated.

"I'm so sorry Jer." Elena whispered. "I don't know what to say."

"Just make it stop." He sobbed. "It hurts so much!"

"Shh, shh…" Elena pulled him to her. "…it's okay."

"Why does everybody have to die on me?" He wailed as Elena pulled away from him and joined Izzy.

"Can you make him forget?" She asked after watching her brother continue to sob.

"Of course I can." Izzy's eyes never left the heartbroken boy. "But do you really want me to?" Elena took a moment to observe her brother before she spoke.

"It's what I want you to do."

"What do you want him to know?" She asked. "I can make him believe anything. I can make him forget she ever existed…"

"I want you to tell him that Vicki left town and she's not coming back. That he shouldn't look for her or worry about her. He's gonna miss her, but he knows it's for the best." Izzy took a deep breath before moving to crouch in front of the boy. Gently, she lifted his chin so their eyes connected and she softy whispered everything he needed to hear to make is heart stop aching and the memories to die.

* * *

"It's done." Izzy's voice was flat as she entered Elena's bedroom and found the girl pacing. "He has no memory of tonight and never will."

"Good." She stopped moving and sank onto her mattress.

"Well, good night." Izzy pulled her car keys from her pocket and sighed knowing exactly the foul moods the Salvatore brothers would be filling the Boarding House with tonight.

"Part of me wishes that I could forget too." Elena whispered. "Forget finding out what you are, who Stefan is..." Izzy watched the girl as she spoke her mind. "…and everything that's happened since."

"Is that what you want?"

Izzy contemplated what the repercussions of Elena's answer could be. Sure, she could erase any knowledge of vampires and murders but could she go back to living her life as a lie? Could she live through the excuse she'd have to make in order to explain her lack of aging? Could she turn her back on Stefan and Damon and pretend her life with them had never happened?

"Yes." Tears pricked at Izzy's eyes as Elena answered; her sister could not accept who she was…what she was. "Because I don't want this." Elena gestured between them. "This iciness; I don't want to feel it. I want to look at you and know that we have the rest of our lives together as sisters." Izzy turned to leave the room. "But I can't lose you…I won't lose you." Izzy froze. "You are my sister and I've been so awful to you but it's hard to know that you need more than food to survive, that the only reason you walk in sunlight is because of an enchanted necklace and that you will never age; that we will not grow old together and our kids won't grow up as best friends."

"Elena, I don't know what to say to you…I am a vampire and everything you said is true but-"

"I don't care." She cut her off, her voice full of decisiveness. "You're my sister and I love you…no matter what."


	8. 162 Candles

The waiting room outside of the sheriff's office was not in fact a waiting room but a corridor with a line of chairs facing the wooden door emblazoned with Liz's name and rank.

"These chairs have not gotten any more comfortable over the years." Jenna grumbled as she, Elena, Jeremy and Izzy waited to be called.

"Exactly how many times have you sat here, Aunt Jenna?" Jeremy teased as the red-head blushed slightly.

"Stefan!" Elena practically shot out of her chair as the boy wandered around the corner and headed towards them.

"Ahh young love." Jenna sighed.

"Jenna?" Izzy caught the woman's attention.

"Yeah?"

"You probably shouldn't be so…unconcerned with the fact that we all got called to the police station."

"Right…yeah…mature adult…" Izzy bit back a laugh as the woman scowled at the door in front of them.

* * *

Liz Forbes' office was not the most spacious room Izzy had sat in. Besides the picturesque view of the town square, the room itself was pretty dull; full of filing cabinets and a cluttered desk with an open file containing an un-flattering image of Vikki Donovan. Izzy shifted in the hard chair as Liz shut the door and moved to take a seat behind the desk.

"I hate to call you down here Izzy, but I just need to turn over every stone before I can dismiss this as another runaway addict."

"No problem, Liz." The blonde smiled. "After everything you did for us this summer, 5 minutes answering a couple of questions is nothing. The worst part was dragging Jeremy and Elena out of bed." Liz laughed before glancing down at the open file, sighing and getting straight down to business.

"When was the last time you saw Vikki?"

"Ooh, a couple days ago I think; she was over at our place hanging with Jer – I just remember seeing someone burrowing through the fridge and I knew it was her."

"And do you have any idea where she's gone?"

"Well she didn't say anything to me, it was Jeremy who told me she had left town."

"Is there anyone I can talk to that may know what happened to her prior to her leaving town?"

"Aside from Matt? My sister and Stefan Salvatore were the only people I saw her talk to that day. And if she'd seen anything I know Elena would've told me; that girl can't keep a secret for anything." She joked and the sheriff smiled.

"I know, I remember she found Caroline's birthday present once when they were kids, I told her not to say anything; that it was a surprise for her. An hour later my daughter comes to me and tells me that if her new bike doesn't have streamers coming out of the handlebars, she doesn't want it." The pair laughed before Izzy's face dropped;

"God, I wish I'd made more of an effort to speak to Vikki now, maybe I could have done something." She acted her part beautifully as she wrung her hands in her lap and looked down.

"Vikki isn't the first addict I've had to investigate, let me assure you that if she was planning to run, there was nothing you could've said to stop her." Izzy nodded solemnly. "So, what was her behaviour like that day? Any signs of aggression?"

"None, she was just…sketchy…like she was there for a reason but didn't want anyone to know."

"Saying goodbye?"

"Perhaps, but maybe not so literally; maybe just a final conversation with everyone before she left."

"That sounds fair." Liz capped her pen and closed the file. "Thanks for that Izzy, I'll let her brother know and after that…well it's just a matter of whether or not she turns up somewhere that's received our notice of her absence."

"No problem." Izzy rose from the chair and turned to leave but stopped. "And Sherriff, if there's anything I can do to help, not just with Vikki but with anything, let me know; I know Miranda and Greyson were such active members of the community and I'd love to continue their legacy so…"

"Yes, Carol Lockwood mentioned something to me a few days ago…I'll get back to you on that one Izzy."

The blonde smiled at the Sherriff before exiting the room.

"All done?" Jenna asked as she, Jeremy and Elena looked up.

"All done." She confirmed. "Anyone want some waffles?" She laughed as Jeremy sprung from his seat and called out that he'd be in the car. "Wanna join us Stefan?" Izzy asked as she noticed the gap between him and Elena, maybe it wasn't out of love that Elena had been so eager to speak with him earlier.

"I…umm…I actually have a guest waiting back at home for me so…" He glanced at Elena who stared stubbornly at her feet. "…rain check?"

"Rain check it is." Izzy shot him a small smile. "Let's go." She linked arms with Elena and the duo followed Jenna to the car.

* * *

"You're wallowing." Izzy told Elena as she entered the living room and found her sister curled up on the sofa.

"So is Jenna." She pointed to the red-head as she walked in carrying a bowl of popcorn. "We're wallowing together."

"My wallow is legitimate; I was dumped, you're the one who dumped Stefan." Jenna pointed out as she slumped beside her niece.

"Yeah, well Logan's a jerk. You're better off without him, Jen." Izzy told her as she checked her hair in the hall mirror.

"You didn't get a brush-off email saying; 'I'm leaving town. See ya.'." Jenna pouted.

"Wanna keep it down in there?" Jeremy called from the kitchen.

"Why?" Jenna asked, peeking over the couch. "What are you doing?"

"Homework." The three women exchanged looks and Izzy strode through the open space and into the kitchen.

"Since when did you do homework?" She asked, trying to get a look at the work spread out on the table.

"I gotta finish this." He grabbed the book from her hands and resumed scribbling on a pad. "I'm way behind and I have a quiz tomorrow so…"

Izzy turned back to the living room and raised an eyebrow at Jenna and Elena as they peeped over the back of the sofa.

"What do you think? Alien?" Jenna mock whispered.

"Some sort of replicate, definitely." Elena agreed as Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"I can hear you." Izzy grinned at his renewed behaviour and re-entered the living room, searching for her phone.

"Where are you going?" Jenna asked through a mouthful of popcorn.

"Out."

"She's wearing her favourite leather jacket." Elena observed. "And her heels are fancier than normal."

"I still don't know how you complete everyday tasks in stilettos." Jenna sighed wistfully. "Come on, fess up; where are you going? Hot date?"

"I wish." Izzy sighed miserably. "I'm meeting someone."

"So it is a date?" Elena perked up at the thought: her sister had never really been one for dating and now that she knew that all of her one-night-stands were just covers for feeding, Izzy being open about meeting someone was exciting.

"It's not a date." Izzy glared at the pair as a car horn sounded outside. "That's my ride. See ya." She blew them a kiss before slamming the door behind her and striding down the driveway.

"Whose car is that?" Jenna asked as they scrambled from the sofa and peeked through the window.

"Damon Salvatore's." Elena said with a frown as she watched Izzy climb into the front seat of the baby blue Chevy Camaro.

"That is one sexy man." Jenna sighed as she returned to the couch.

"Hmmmm." Elena murmured as she watched Izzy throw back her head and laugh before the convertible pulled away.

* * *

"Twice in one day, this is a record even for me." Izzy noted as she and Damon made their way down the sterile corridors of the justice building.

"Well I'm not surprised." She raised an eyebrow at his words. "Always suspected you had a thing for handcuffs." There was a beat of silence before he let out a low groan and rubbed the shoulder she had promptly punched. "That's assault."

"Bite me."

"With pleasure." He grinned at her and the pair stopped just outside of the Sherriff's office.

Izzy's smile dropped slightly when she eyed the small cardboard box under his arm and remembered that they were no longer the bickering best friends and that the man before her was single-handedly responsible for Vikki Donovan's death.

"Ladies first." He gestured to the door as Liz called for them to come in.

"Izzy, Mister Salvatore, please take a seat." She gestured to the two chairs before her as Damon pulled the door closed behind them. "I understand from Carol Lockwood that Zach is out of town?"

"Yes, he is." Damon confirmed. "But I spoke with him and he filled me in and asked if I could bring this to you." He placed the box on the desk and pushed it towards the eager woman.

"Vervain." She breathed as she opened the box and retrieved one of the delicate lilac flowers.

"It's all we have at the moment, we hope it's enough." Izzy told her as she laid the flower carefully back in the box. Liz took a deep breath before divulging the information they had been hoping for.

"It's a small circle." Izzy crossed her legs and tilted her head, her interest piqued. "Founding families, a few city officials…"

"And your deputies, of course, right?" Damon asked and she nodded lightly.

"Are we any closer?" Liz shook her head.

"I think our facts are wrong; we've always believed that vampires can only come out in the dark. What if that's changed?"

"Is that even possible?" Izzy asked. "I've read and re-read all the Gilbert journals and I've never come across any mention of being able to withstand daylight."

"We've exhausted every other option." She sighed. "We have to consider that the vampire may be walking around during the day…right in front of us." Izzy bit back a smirk as she feigned shock.

"So what's the next step?"

"We're now looking at anyone new in town; since the deaths began, should turn up a suspect or two."

"And we of course, will do anything we can to help." Damon charmed her as he and Izzy sat very relaxed in the anxious woman's office.

* * *

"Why are you taking me to the Boarding House?" Izzy asked as Damon's car began travelling in the opposite direction to the Gilbert house.

"It's a surprise." He shot her a grin as they turned up the driveway of the Boarding House.

"Is it a good surprise or an _I've-killed-another-innocent-resident_ surprise?" She asked sceptically.

"Not telling." He teased as they exited the car and made their way to the front door.

"I swear to god, if you've turned another-" She was cut off as she was flung to the floor of the panelled hallway.

"Surrender now and I'll let you keep your life." A female voice ordered as Izzy was straddled and her eyes covered.

"What the hell?" Izzy clawed at the hands blinding her and eventually pried them from her face. "Lexi?!" She sat up, the female vampire still in her lap. "Oh my God, Lexi!" The two blondes flung their arms around each other, Lexi still in Izzy's lap.

"Room for another?" Damon waggled his eyebrows as he leant against a wall, watching their reunion.

"Can't you let me greet an old friend without requesting a threesome?" Izzy groaned as Lexi stood and held out a hand to help her up.

"Never let an opportunity pass you by." He shrugged. "Have fun." He called behind him as he made his way to the staircase.

"Damon, wait!" Izzy caught up with him. "You didn't have to let me know she was here but…" She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and squeezing his hand. "…thank you."

* * *

Izzy let the door close softly behind her as she re-entered the Gilbert house 10am the next morning. She climbed the stairs, heels in hand, with a stupid grin on her face as she recounted her night of dancing, drinking and the occasional bit of gossiping with Stefan and Lexi.

"Are you only just getting home?" Elena's voice made her jump as the brunette peered at her from her position in bed. "It's 10am Iz, where have you been?"

"Out." Izzy shrugged as she abandoned her mission to collapse into her bed and instead headed for Elena's. "Scooch." She told her sister as she slipped underneath her covers and nestled into their warmth.

"Out with Damon?" Elena raised an eyebrow as she spoke.

"Not exactly." Izzy mumbled as she tried to heat up her toes. Elena continued to stare at her disapprovingly until Izzy sighed and caved. "Okay so I was with him at first and then once my…errand…was done we parted ways and I've been at a party all night."

"A party?" Both girls turned to the doorframe as a new voice joined their conversation. "Anyone we know?"

"God I hope not." Izzy chuckled as Bonnie entered the room and joined them under the covers of Elena's bed. "Waaay too old for you two."

"How was your weekend with Grams?" Elena asked as all three cuddled up in the double bed.

"It was…interesting." Bonnie said cryptically. "But that's not important right now; I'm more concerned with the fact that you're still in bed."

"Very true Bon-Bon." Izzy turned to her sister. "Aren't you normally Little Miss Mornings-Are-For-Getting-Things-Done?"

"I'm tired." The girl faked a yawn.

"Bull."

"I am tired; tired of thinking…of talking…of-"

"Can I get a one-line version so I can at least pretend to be helpful?" Bonnie interrupted and Elena looked down at the quilt as Izzy sighed.

"She broke up with Stefan."

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Elena shot her a look. "Right, stupid question." Izzy smiled softly as Bonnie wrapped an arm around her best friend's shoulders. "I know I've been kinda MIA lately; I suck."

"You don't suck." Elena sighed. "But if you do want to make it up to me – get my mind off this breakup." Bonnie paused for a moment before giving them each a stern look and saying:

"Just remember that you asked for it." Izzy and Elena exchanged curious glances as the girl slipped out of bed and closed the bedroom door and open window before grabbing a lone pillow. She rid it of its cover and ripped it open.

"Hey!" Izzy exclaimed as feathers poured out of the now useless pillow and onto the bed.

"Be patient." Bonnie told her as she spread out the feathers and picked on, holding it up. "I need to swear you to secrecy."

"Secrecy? What are you on about Bon?"

"Swear." Bonnie insisted. "Because Grams made me promise not to show anyone." Elena and Izzy exchanged another look before simultaneously agreeing. "There are no more windows open right?" Bonnie asked with a small, knowing smile.

"Yeah, it was just that one." Elena pointed to the window Bonnie had previously shut.

"And there's no fan and no air conditioning."

"None, you know that Bon." Izzy frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Grams just showed me this; you're gonna love it." She jumped up onto the bed and sat cross-legged facing them. "You ready?" They nodded as she placed the feather back onto the bed and placed her hand slightly above it.

"Oh my god." Elena breathed as they watched her raise her hand and the feather follow. It danced slightly before she let it fall again.

"It's true." Izzy whispered as she thought back to the candle incident at the Lockwood mansion. "Everything your Grams said."

Bonnie grinned as she placed both hands over the pile of feathers and levitated them all, filling the air with hundreds of dancing feathers. Izzy and Elena scrambled out of bed to stand amongst them before sharing a grin and bursting into laughter as the impossible snow storm of feathers tickled their skin.

"It's both impossible and true." Bonnie agreed. "I'm a witch." Izzy watched as Elena hugged her friend and the feathers fell to the floor. "It's weird huh? After all this time joking about being psychic…I really am a witch." They all flopped back onto the mattress as they digested the news. "You don't think I'm a freak now, do you?" Bonnie asked, sitting up slightly to gauge the sister's reactions.

"Of course not." Izzy answered for both of them.

"Bonnie I just...don't understand though." Elena said. "If your Grams asked you to keep all this a secret, why did you tell us?"

"You're my best friend." She squeezed Elena's hand. "And you're my best friend's sister so you're kinda my sister by default." Izzy laughed as she spoke. "I can't keep secrets from you."

Izzy's smile tensed as Elena once again embraced her bestie.

_I can't keep secrets from you._

* * *

"Hey, back for more?" Lexi grinned at Izzy as the blonde dug down the sides of the couches in the Boarding House with a frown.

"Not at 3 in the afternoon." Izzy laughed. "Did I leave my earrings here last night?" She asked, standing from the sofa and glancing behind the cushions of the opposite one.

"No idea, I was sleeping when you crept out in the early hours."

"It was 10am, Lex." Izzy laughed. "Not such an ungodly hour."

"Depends on perspective I guess." The 350 year old vampire shrugged. "Anyway, you've arrived just in time to contribute to the 'Elena Debate'." Izzy quirked an eyebrow at the phrase.

"There's nothing more to say, Lex." Stefan sighed as he entered the room and fell onto the sofa beside Izzy.

"Of course there is." Lexi waved away his comment. "Because we didn't talk about your biggest selling point."

"Which is?"

"Sex." Izzy laughed as Stefan held his head in his hands.

"Oh, come on Stef, don't get all 1864 on us and blush whenever the dirty deed is mentioned." Izzy teased him as she joined him on the couch.

"So, have you and Elena had sex yet?"

"Actually, can we not discuss this?" Izzy interjected. "I've known her since she was 11 and while I'm aware that it's unlikely she and Matt sat around playing cards all the time, it's not something I want to know about."

"Ignore Iz and answer my question."

"No." Stefan sighed. "No we have not had sex."

"Figures; no one walks away from vampire sex." Lexi smirked. "So go to her, rock her world with your vampy stamina and she'll be yours forever."

"Yeah, but see, this isn't about sex or…or compulsion or any of our other tricks; she has to **want** to be with me; on her own terms." Lexi rolled her eyes at him as she retrieved a blood bag from a small pouch at her feet.

"Wow, that sounded all mature and grown-up." Izzy nudged him teasingly.

"I am mature and grown up."

"You're eternally seventeen and you just blushed at the mention of sex." Izzy pointed out with a grin.

"You're horrible."

"I love you too." Izzy blew him a kiss as Lexi stabbed the blood bag with a straw and began slurping from it.

"Want some?" She asked, offering the bag to them.

"No." Stefan answered quickly and rose to stand at the opposite side of the room.

"Relax, I didn't kill anyone for it." She assured him. "This phlebotomist I went out with a few times is my supplier." Stefan shot her a look. "Oh don't judge, ok? Listen I tried the animal diet; lasted three weeks."

"It doesn't matter; but if I start again…"

"You could stop." Izzy told him earnestly. "I know you could." Stefan offered her a small smile of thanks as Lexi continued slurping.

"I'm just jealous of your restraint." She told him. "I have zero; I delight in hedonism. Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?" Her eyes flicked between Stefan and Izzy.

"Funny you should ask." Damon drawled as he joined them in the parlour.

"Well I wasn't asking **you**." Lexi sighed.

"You mean you didn't come all this way just to see me?" He smirked.

"You know what Damon, you're right; after a century I finally realise that death means nothing without you." She ended her statement by promptly showing him her middle finger.

"Why are you so mean to me?" He pouted as he leant against one of the arches leading into the room.

"Uh, have you met you? You're not a nice person."

"Uh, I can be." He defended himself. "Can't I Isabella?" He held out his hand to reveal a pair of sparkly earrings.

"I really don't think that I'm the person you should be looking for a defence from, Damon." She sighed as she rose to retrieve her earrings from him. "But I will admit that you have your moments." She pocketed the earrings.

"Well isn't that a flashback." Lexi smirked as she watched them stand side-by-side. "Both dressed in black, Damon being nice to Izzy and no-one else on the planet…one could be mistaken for thinking nothing happened between you." Damon sneered at her observation as Izzy silently returned to the sofa. "Don't get testy Damon; everyone knows that it was all your fault."

"Someone really needs to shut you-" He was cut off as Lexi flew out of her seat and pinned him to the wall by his throat.

"I'm older and that means stronger." She reminded him. "Don't ruin my time with Stefan and Iz, cause I'll hurt you. And you know I can do it." She released him and wandered back to her discarded snack.

"There's a party at the Grill." Damon delivered his original message. "You'll love it; banquetts, tacky wait staff, all of Stefan's friends…"

"Yeah, I don't want a birthday party." Stefan said, his arms crossed over his chest as Damon frowned.

"Well it's not for **you**." He told his little brother. "It's a party party; no one knows it's your birthday." He assured him. "Caroline's throwing it."

"Stay away from Caroline." Izzy warned him with a sigh.

"We're friends; it's cool." He told her with a smirk. "It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk…we need to blend." He eyed Lexi's collection of blood bags with disgust. "I prefer mine at 98.6." He smirked before strolling from the room.

"Let's go." Lexi decided and Izzy and Stefan shared a look. "Please?" Izzy smirked at how easily Lexi got Stefan to agree. "Awesome." She pushed herself from the chair and flashed them a grin. "I'm going to shower and then we're going to party!"

"I can't believe we're going to this thing." Stefan sighed as he took Lexi's seat.

"Oh come on Stef, it's not like she's asking you to run outside at midday without your ring." She laughed. "It's just a party."

"A party that Damon wants us to go to." He mused. "So my question is; why? I think he's up to something."

"What could he possibly do in front of everyone at the Grill?" She asked. "Besides, we'll both be there and it's not like we haven't taken him down before." She reminded him. "He'll behave Stef." She reached out to take his hand. "You and Lexi get one day a year to be together…don't let his mind games ruin that."

"I thought it was **my** birthday?" He joked.

"Actually, it's **my** day." Lexi corrected him as she re-entered the room wearing only a towel. "And that guy that jumped naked in the Trevi fountain, and got drunk on the torch of the statue of Liberty…" Izzy laughed at the mental images she was conjuring. "…that guy can take a break from all of his worrying for one night and go to a stupid party." She dragged him from the chair. "So quit your whining and go get ready." She turned him towards the staircase and pushed him down the hallway.

"Fine." He huffed, but they all saw the smile on his face.

"I need clothes." Izzy laughed again at Lexi's blunt statement.

"There's a closet full upstairs." She told her as so too rose. "The best of the 1980s, if I remember correctly."

"Excellent, I love me some leather."

* * *

Elena's car pulled effortlessly into the leaf swept driveway of the Salvatore Boarding House. She frowned as she noticed the other car parked on the driveway and questioned why her sister was visiting the brothers.

She strolled to the door of the imposing house and taking a breath, she rang the bell.

"It's open!" A female voice called out. "Come on in!" She gently pushed the door open and stepped into the entrance hall. "Oh my God…" She stopped as a woman wrapped in a bath towel approached her, shock written all over her face. "…How…how…" Elena frowned as the woman's face alternated between shock and anger. "…what are you-"

"Elena!" The girl looked up as her sister called her name and offered a small wave to the blonde as she leant over the bannister of the staircase.

"Elena." The stranger whispered her name as she studied her.

"Uh, hi…" She trailed off as Izzy bounded down the stairs and joined the strange blonde in the entrance hall.

"Elena, this is Lexi; she's a very old friend of Stefan's." She told the girl. "And Lexi, this s my sister Elena." Izzy and Lexi's eyes met and Izzy silently communicate the fact that this was **not** Katherine.

"Is he here?" Elena asked, interrupting their silent conversation. "Stefan?"

"He's in the shower." Lexi told her, as she plastered a smile on her lips. "Do you want to wait?"

"No." She mumbled as she eyed the gorgeous blonde and the small towel she wore.

"We'll tell him you stopped by." Izzy told her, her smile slipping as Lexi's eyes never left the brunette. "I'll be home soon; we can drive to the party together."

"That's okay; I'll catch a ride with Bonnie." She mumbled before leaving the house.

"Oh…okay then…" The door slammed behind Elena and Izzy frowned as she heard her car start and race from the property. "I guess I'll…Lexi wait!" She called behind the older blonde as she jogged up the stairs towards Stefan's room.

"Are you out of your freaking mind?!" She sighed as she heard Lexi confront Stefan.

"What are you-"

"I just met Elena!" She too jogged up to Stefan's room as Lexi cut him off with a glare. "You have some serious explaining to do!" Izzy entered the room just as Lexi held up a small yet very old picture of Katherine from 1864.

* * *

"You have some serious emotional damage." Izzy snorted as she sat behind Stefan's desk flicking through one of his old journals.

"No, it's not what you think." Stefan explained to Lexi as she sat cross-legged on his bed applying make-up for the party. "She's not Katherine."

"Then they're related." Lexi stated. "Because they could be twins." Izzy squeezed her eyes shut at her words.

Of course it was clear that somehow Elena was a descendent of Katherine but the resemblance was truly unnerving. When she had first arrived in Mystic Falls and stumbled across Elena and her family, there was nothing to indicate that the girl would grow up to be a mini-me of the demon woman. But, as she had watched Elena grow she had been comforted by the fact that despite their shared appearance, the girl was nothing like Katherine.

"I have no desire to tie Elena to Katherine." Stefan assured Lexi. "Okay yes, yes the resemblance is what drew me in. But that's it: Katherine and Elena may look the same on the outside but on the inside they are completely different."

"So Elena isn't a raging bitch then?"

"Not unless it's her time of the month." Izzy joked.

"Elena is...Elena's **warm** and she's...she's **kind** , and she's caring, and she's selfless, and it's real. And honestly when I'm around her, I...I completely forget what I am." There was beat of silence in the room as the two blonde's digested his outburst.

"Oh my god…" Lexi breathed.

"You're in love with her." Izzy realised as she crossed the room to sit beside Lexi on the bed as Stefan fell into an armchair.

"Yeah…yeah I am."

* * *

Elena peeled herself off the couch as the doorbell rang. She kept one eye on the television screen as she opened the door, trying to not miss a second of the crappy show she was watching.

"Hey." She jumped as the person on the other side greeted her and she turned her attention away from the screen and instead focused on Stefan.

"What are you doing here?"

"Um, Lexi said you came by and you seemed upset."

"Right…the girl in the towel."

"The towel?" He asked confused at her pursed lips. "Oh!" He realised her meaning. "No, no, no, not like that she's not exactly a girl…well she is a girl but…" He trailed off as he realised he wasn't explaining himself very well. "Lexi's 350 years old."

"You mean she's a…"

"Yeah…and my oldest friend…noting romantic. Ever." He assured her.

"Ah." She nodded in relief. "Okay, well it's just that she kept staring at me and it was…weird."

"Yeah, well I talk about you a lot so…I guess she felt like she knew you." He told her with a small smile. "So, why'd you come by?"

"I uh…it was a mistake." She told him as she gestured for him to step into the house.

"Elena, talk to me."

"I can't…Stefan I can't, and that's the problem. I'm keeping all these secrets from everyone. I can't even tell my best friend. Do you know how hard that is? It's like I need to talk to someone but the only person I can talk to is you and Izzy...and as much as I love my sister I…"

"I want you to know that I will always be here for you." He told her as he reached out to take her hand. "You can come to me about anything, okay?"

"Well thank you for coming by." She dropped his hand and moved back to the door, silently telling him to leave.

"Hey, do you want a ride to the Grill tonight?" He asked her, once he was stood back on the porch.

"You're going to Caroline's party?" She asked with a laugh.

"Lexi and Izzy are dragging me." He told her with a smile. "It's my birthday so…"

"Really? Wow, um, happy birthday then." They both laughed at the awkwardness of the conversation.

"Thank you."

"But actually, I think I'm going to stay in tonight." She told him, one hand on the door. He nodded and moved away from the porch, making his way back to his car. "Happy Birthday!" She called after him as he disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

The Grill was packed full of dancing teens by the time Lexi and Izzy arrived. Their eyes flittered over the crowds before they descended into the area that had been cleared as a make-shift dance floor and headed for the bar.

Izzy's eyes narrowed as she saw Damon all but dismiss Caroline from his side as they approached.

"I thought we agreed for you to stay away from her." Izzy said by means of a greeting.

"We were just discussing how much I'm enjoying this 'amazing party'." He rolled his eyes. "Where's my brother?"

"He said he'd meet us here." Lexi told him, her eyes still on the crowd.

"Buy you a-" She ignored his offer and strolled away from the bar, disappearing into the mass of bodies. "Well that was just rude." He mumbled, pulling a laugh from Izzy as she claimed the bar stool beside him. "What's your poison these days?"

"Anything…as long as you're buying."

* * *

Izzy leant against the oak bar surveying the party filling the Grill. She liked the view from here, it allowed her to keep tabs on everyone, for instance she could watch Lexi try to coax some dance moves out of Stefan while out of the corner of her eye she could ensure that Damon and his fangs were getting nowhere near Caroline's neck as they conversed.

She drained the glass in her hand and signalled for the bartender to refill it. Glancing down at the outfit Lexi had talked her into she sighed, _the best of the 1980's_ that's what she'd promised and boy, did her overflowing wardrobe comply. As she had opened the massive doors a collection of leather and neon tumbled out onto the plush carpet of her old room at the Boarding House.

It had been quite fun to spend the afternoon with someone who also remembered one of the better decades of the last century and as the two blondes had danced around the room in luminous tutu's and legwarmers, she had almost forgotten exactly why she'd been supressing her vampire side for five years.

Movement at the door to the Grill caught her attention and she broke into a grin as Elena hesitantly stepped into the party. She placed two fingers to her lips and let out a whistle alerting the girl to her location. With an eye-roll to her sister's actions, Elena begrudgingly joined her at the bar area.

"I knew you'd cave and stop being Madame Mopey." She greeted the younger girl.

"I figured Caroline would hate me forever if I didn't at least show my face." She forced a smile and the pair observed the party. "So…Stefan and Lexi..." Izzy turned and followed Elena's gaze to the duo as they played pool in the back of the Grill.

"Are the very best of friends." Izzy cut in. "In fact, she's more like family to him."

"But not to you?" Elena asked.

"Lexi's always been more of Stefan's friend than mine." She told her. "She's helped him through some of the darkest periods of his life." She drained her re-fill and placed the glass on the bar. "Don't get me wrong, I love her; she's great for Stef – really gets him to lighten up and actually enjoy himself, but she's never been a big fan of the older brother."

"Which I for one don't understand at all." Damon drawled as he joined them. "I mean, look at me." Elena rolled her eyes as he gestured to himself. "Well would you look at that…" He nodded towards the pool table. "…Stefan actually has the capacity smile."

"It's not like you've given him a lot of reasons to be happy lately." Elena quipped as Stefan all but cleared the pool table.

"Oh, you're right. Poor Stefan persecuted throughout eternity by his depraved brother." Izzy glared at him, a warning to not step out of line here. "Does it get tiring being so righteous?"

"It flares up in the presence of psychopaths." Izzy smothered a smirk at her sister's retort.

"Ouch! Well, consider this psychopath's feelings get hurt." He placed a hand over his heart and signalled for Bourbon.

"What's going on with Caroline and Bonnie?" Izzy asked, ignoring Damon's presence and nodding towards the two girls.

"They're fighting over some necklace." Elena told her. "Caroline gave it to Bonnie and now she wants it back." Izzy raised an eyebrow as she recognised the crystal around Bonnie's neck as the one Damon had stolen from the Lockwood Mansion. "Actually, I should really go say hi."

"Caroline seems very determined to get that necklace." Izzy said, just loud enough for Damon to hear. "You could almost say she's **compelled** to get it back." Their eyes met and the vampires stared at each other. "I wonder why it's so important?"

* * *

"The famous Elena." The girl in question took a deep breath as Lexi approached her.

"Towel girl." She greeted her and Lexi's smirk made her feel a little uncomfortable.

"I've been called worse." The blonde shrugged. "Here." She handed her one of the three tequila shots in her hands and the pair moved to a small table.

"I feel like I should be surprised that you guys can drink but I've seen Izzy stumble home reeking of whiskey so…"

"It helps curb the cravings." Lexi told her with a smile as she noticed the other blonde in the corner chatting with a very handsome young man. "But it also makes for a lot of lushy vamps." She joked as she drank one of the shots.

"I've never seen Stefan drunk." Elena mused. "He always seems so…"

"Uptight?"

"Yeah." Elena laughed. "But not with you."

"Well that's the benefit for knowing someone for over a hundred years: you can just be yourself."

"He can't be himself with me."

"Not yet." Lexi shrugged. "The first step was him telling you, the rest comes with time."

"You seem so sure."

"Look, do you really think that when we first met we were 100% open to each other? No. You have to hide parts of yourself to make sure that the person you want to be with is the right person." She paused, seeing that Elena wasn't buying it. "Okay, look at Iz and Damon." Elena scrunched her nose up at the sound of her sister's name being paired with that monster. "When you talk to Damon he's a jerk, right?"

"Right."

"But when she's around…he's different." They watched as Damon appeared to be re-entering the bar and glanced around the room, his eyes settling on Izzy as she happily flirted her way to another free drink. "Because they know each other; she knows that he is more than capable of being a monster, but she also knows that he'd probably jump in front of a bullet for her." She said with a smile. "And while she may not like him right now, there's no one who knows that man better than Izzy."

"Because they've been through stuff together." Elena concluded. "You really know just what to say, huh?"

"I'm old." Lexi shrugged. "Besides, the love of my life was human. He went through, what I imagine you're going through: denial, anger, et cetera. But at the end of the day love really did conquer all." She gestured to Elena's tequila as she spoke. "Are you going to drink that?"

"Go for it." She pushed the shot towards the vampire, happy to skip over Lexi's love confession. "I'm scared." She told her as the shot was downed.

"But you're here...'cause you're **crazy** about him, I get it okay? I mean what's not to love?" They both looked over at Stefan as he concentrated on the pool game in front of him. "Listen; take it from someone who's been around a **long** time; when it's real, you can't walk away." She drank the final shot, flashed her a smile and left the table.

"Hey Lexi…" She called after her. "…It was really nice meeting you." The blonde winked at her before skipping over to join Stefan's pool game.

* * *

Izzy weaved her way through the crowd in search of the man who had promised her a free drink ages ago. She frowned as she saw him making out with a different blonde in the shadows at the back of the Grill and with a shrug she turned and headed for the bar.

"Woah!" She reached out to grab the young girl in front of her who had swayed a little too much. "I got you." She said as she caught her and pulled her upright. "Caroline?"

"I slim…I'm slipped…I slipped."

"Woops, someone's hammered." She sighed, leading her over to an empty booth.

"Well...a very nice but not handsome bartender was very kind to me tonight. Unlike the rest of the global universe. Are those curly fries?" Her eyes brightened as she spotted the half-eaten fries atop the table and grabbed for them. Izzy rolled her eyes at the girl and managed to flag down a passing waiter.

"Can I get some coffee for the drunk girl?" She joked as the boy eyed Caroline before leaving. "Bad night, huh?"

"Baddest." She huffed, her mouth full of fries. "Am I shallow, Iz?" She peered up at her.

"Is that a trick question?"

"I don't mean to be." She sighed, pushing the fires away from her. "I wanna be deep, I wanna be like…the abyss deep."

"No offense, Caroline, but deep's not really your style." She dropped into the seat opposite her and smiled as Matt Donovan arrived with coffee. "Thanks, hun." She smiled at him and gestured for him to join them.

"I'm shallow." Caroline wailed, falling into Matt's side as he sat beside her. "I'm so shallow. In fact, I'm worse than shallow; I'm a kiddie pool!"

"You're not a kiddie pool." Izzy told her as the tears began to fall. "Is she Matt?"

"You're not a kiddie pool." He agreed as she sobbed into his shirt. "Want me to take her home?" He asked Iz.

"Thanks Matt." She smiled at the boy who helped Caroline up.

She reached out to once again catch the girl as she stumbled but stopped as Matt reached out for her, placed her arm around his neck and scooped her up into his arms.

"Hey, you forgot your-" She called behind them as she held up Caroline's purse. "Nevermind." She sighed, leaving the booth and following them out of the Grill.

"You and I will discuss this later." Izzy exited the Grill just as Liz glared at Caroline, the drunk girl still in Matt's arms.

"Can't wait." She rolled her eyes at her mother.

"You forgot your purse." Izzy told them as she joined them beside Liz's police cruiser.

"Thanks Iz, you're the best." Caroline mumbled, still glaring at her mother. "Let's go, Matty." She patted the boy's chest and with a small smile he carried her to his car, Caroline's purse swinging from one of his hands.

"What's going on?" Izzy asked as she finally noticed the police cars and ambulance parked outside the Grill.

"There was another attack." Liz told her, as she directed her deputies to not let anyone else leave the premises. "We've got one dead but luckily, there's a witness." She gestured to a shaking girl sat on the back of the ambulance.

"A witness?" Izzy asked in disbelief. "That's very…careless…"

"They got cocky." Liz said. "But it's good for us because she thinks she can identify the attacker."

"Let me know if I can help." Izzy forced a smile and the sheriff moved away to help secure the Grill.

Her eyes never left the girl receiving medical attention and she let out a deep, shaky breath; every other 'attack' had been Damon…if he'd been careless…this could be it for him.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the thought, fully knowing that she should be relieved that his reign of terror was finally over but, at the same time, it would kill her to see the end of Damon. Her Damon.

* * *

The Grill wasn't nearly as full as it had been the first time she'd entered that night. She walked very slowly beside Sheriff Forbes as the women escorted their witness into the Grill.

"Look around and let me know if you see anything." She gently encouraged the girl as Izzy stood as still as stone beside them, her eyes never leaving Damon as he and Lexi stood at the bar.

She felt her breath leave her chest as the girl extended her arm and pointed directly at the pair. The girl was quickly bustled out of the Grill by one of the ever-present deputies and Liz made her way through the crowd, her hand fiddling with something in her pocket.

Izzy extended her hearing as Liz reached the bar, hoping to hear some kind of explanation but instead, her ears were filled with a gasp as a needle pierced skin.

"What are you doing?" Damon asked, his voice louder than the small gasps.

"Thank you for the vervain, now if you'll excuse me." Izzy felt her knees buckle as two deputies half-carried half-dragged Lexi from the bar.

She forced herself to get it together and soon met Stefan at the back-door of the Grill and the pair shared a tense look before following the Sheriff out into the night. They jogged down the sidewalk, watching as Lexi was carried away and both let out low curses as the vampire's head reared, her fangs on show, and she launched into an attack on her captors, effectively flinging them into nearby cars.

Liz's gun fired but Lexi just kept going, ignoring the metal bullets as they penetrated her skin. She got to within arm's length of the Sheriff, her fangs still bared and ready to feed, when Damon ran in front of her, a stake in hand.

"Oh my God." Stefan breathed, shock written all over his face as Lexi fell to the floor, a stake protruding from her chest.

She wrapped an arm around Stefan and blurred him away from the scene, knowing that if Liz found them there'd be more questions than they could answer. She stopped them in the small park opposite the Grill and dropped Stefan onto a bench. She listened for any remaining sounds of the ambush but all that followed was a whispered order to _"Get her in the car, quickly."_ She refocused on Stefan who sat with his head in his hands, trying to process what they'd just seen.

"Stefan…"

"He killed her." His voice was emotionless as he lifted his head to meet her eyes. "He killed Zach, he killed Tanner, he turned Vikki…I have to kill him."

"No." She pushed him back onto the bench as he tried to stand. "No, you can't do that."

"Why are you trying to save him?" He asked as she kept him in place on the bench. "He's never going to change, Iz! No matter how hard we try he's always going to be a monster!"

"I'm not trying to save him." She told him, crouching so their eyes would be level. "I'm trying to save **you**." She took his hands. "You have no idea what this will do to you, please Stefan."

"Everywhere I go, pain and death follow." He told her, his voice rough. " **He** follows."

"Stefan, please, just think this through I-"

"I can save us, Iz." He told her, his eyes now filled with rage. "You and me. We're so much better without him."

"He's your brother."

"That monster is **not** my brother."

* * *

Izzy closed her eyes and leant back against the cool tile of the kitchen as she sat on the work-surface. The sounds of the brother's fight filled her ears as she tried to block it out but the occasional crash and thud kept startling her.

She had followed Stefan back to the Boarding House when he'd calmed slightly, but knew that as soon as he set eyes on his brother, the rage she had witnessed earlier would return and nothing would stop it.

And so, she had escaped to the kitchen, hoping to sit out the fight for as long as she could, knowing that she'd only step in when there was a chance they'd kill each other.

"You saved my life and I'm sparing yours." Stefan whispered dangerously. "We're even and now we're done." He spat and blurred out of the room and away from the house.

Izzy sighed as she heard Damon fall to the floor with a groan and pushed herself off the counter, following the groans to a dim room.

"If you've come to exact revenge for Lexi, I think there's at least one organ Stefan forgot to punch." He groaned as he pulled a stake out from just below his heart.

She said nothing and instead sat beside him on the solid wood floor, ignoring the small pool of blood and instead staring straight ahead.

"What's the plan, Damon?" She asked quietly.

"What?"

"You told Lexi that it was all part of the plan." She repeated the words she had heard him whisper just as she had blurred Stefan from the scene.

"Did I?"

"You know, this evening Lexi used us an example to Elena." She told him. "She said that there's no one who knows you better than me." She let out a breath. "And I know that the only reason you revert back to…" She trailed off, trying to find a better phrase than _being a monster_. "…is because of **her**."

"Get to the point, Iz." He groaned, pushing himself up so they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Katherine." He stiffened at the name. "She's the reason you're here, isn't it?"

The room was silent as the two vampires sat shoulder to shoulder, staring into nothing. Izzy let out a strangled sob as he reached out and took her hand, squeezing it slightly and giving her all the information she needed to know: Katherine Pierce was going to ruin her life once again.


	9. History Repeating

"Have you even talked to Bonnie?" Izzy asked blearily at the road ahead as Caroline and Elena chatted in the back seat of her SUV.

"No." Caroline huffed. "I'm mad at her; she needs to make the first move."

"Be the bigger person."

"That's impossible in her presence." Caroline muttered as she applied her lip gloss refusing to acknowledge Elena's sigh.

"Why are you so pissed at her anyway?"

"She's a thief, that's why." Caroline explained. "I gave her my necklace and she refuses to give it back…it's a matter of principle."

"What necklace?" Izzy asked through a yawn, desperately trying to keep up with the chatter but failing miserably.

"The amber crystal." Caroline sighed. "And now she's constantly wearing it! Just to flaunt the fact that I can't get it off her."

"She's always wearing it?" Izzy asked with a frown. "Since when?"

Her mind flickered back to a few nights ago and Caroline's determination to get the necklace back when they were all at the Grill. And now, the fact that Bonnie's wearing this mysterious crystal all day, every day, definitely means that something's going on.

"Since her last visit to Grams house." Elena told her sister before turning back to Caroline. "I think you two should talk but, hey, I tried; I'm officially out of it."

"Good; your turn." Caroline's face brightened as the conversation shifted. "Where's Stefan? Have you talked to him?"

"He's avoiding me."

"It's…" Elena caught her sister's eye in the rear-view mirror. "…complicated."

"Oh." Was all Caroline managed to get out before Izzy let out another yawn as they pulled into the school parking lot. "Tired Iz?" She joked as the engine died and the blonde all but slumped over the steering wheel, her eyelids heavy.

"Incredibly." She mumbled.

She had spent yet another night at the Salvatore Boarding House trying to pry the details of Damon's plan from the stubborn man. As usual it had ended in them screaming at each-other to _stay out of my business_ and _if you lay one hand on the people of this town I'll feed your eyeballs to a crow_ …you know; the usual insults between two old friends.

"Anyway, off to class you two." She ushered them from the car. "Go learn and succeed and be the best versions of yourselves…yadda, yadda, yadda." She offered them a smile and a wave before reversing out of her spot and pulling away from the school.

"Your sister gives the best pep-talks." Caroline laughed as the SUV disappeared from sight.

"You haven't heard her; _if you believe, you can achieve and if you achieve you'll make lots of money and we can all retire to a beach resort_ speech." Elena smiled as the bell rang. "I'll see you later." She parted ways with the girl and jogged to History.

Elena slid into her seat just as Bonnie came running through the door, closely followed by a man carrying a variety of History textbooks.

"Good morning everyone." He greeted them as he shed his jacket and picked up a piece of chalk. "Alrighty…" He trailed off as he began to write a very unusual name onto the blackboard. "…Alaric Saltzman…it's a mouthful; I know." He turned to them. "Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue but Saltzman is of German origins and my family emigrated here in 1755 to Texas. I, however, was born and raised in Boston. Now the name Alaric belongs to a very dead great-grandfather I will never be able to thank enough. You'll probably want to pronounce _A_ _l-a-ric_ but it's _Al_ _-ah-_ _ric_ , okay? So, you can call me Ric…" Elena turned her focus back to the man and away from a very pale and fidgety Bonnie. "…I'm your new history teacher."

* * *

If Elena was being honest with herself, which she always aimed to be, she paid no attention to the new man standing in front of her History class as he rambled on and on about how rich Mystic Falls is in history and how they were going to explore it all. No, instead she was far more pre-occupied with the fidgeting girl she could see from the corner of her eye.

Bonnie Bennett had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. Sure, she and Caroline were incredibly close and the three girls were inseparable, but for some reason, Bonnie had always been something more to Elena. The fact that the girl had chosen to reveal her witchy secret to only Elena was further proof of this. Lately, Caroline had become more pre-occupied with boys and fashion and parties but Bonnie, sweet Bonnie, had remained the same and when Elena had needed her over the summer, Bonnie had always dropped everything to be at her side.

Even though she and Izzy were also inseparable, even more so now there were no secrets between them, the older woman had spent her summer making funeral arrangements and adopting the legal guardianship of her and Jeremy and so, they hadn't had any time to sit and grieve together.

So, here she was; sat outside on a beautiful early winter's lunchtime with a teary Bonnie Bennett, trying desperately to be as good a friend to her as she had been to Elena in her time of need.

"So I'm in class and I see something moving out in the hall so I get up and follow this…figure…to the end of the locker bank and it's her! I follow her outside and all of a sudden I'm in the ruins of that old church we learnt about…"

"Fell's Church?"

"Exactly." Bonnie took a deep breath before continuing. "And then she starts speaking to me; it's all _please help me_ and _this is where it started so this is where it has to end_." She rubbed her temples. "And then I'm back in class like I've just been snoozing and I think; this is fine nothing actually happened and then I turn and she's there again; beside me…in class!" She stopped and dropped her voice to a whisper. "And then I wake up for real this time…in the woods near the church ruins."

"And you always see your ancestor Emily?"

"Always." Bonnie ran a shaky hand through her hair before speaking again. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Two weeks ago I'd say no, but now…" Elena thought back to the night she found out about Izzy and Stefan and then Bonnie with those feathers.

"Because I think I'm being haunted."

"I don't get it…why Emily?" Elena asked as she un-wrapped her sandwich and took a bite.

"Grams said she was a powerful witch back in the Civil War days and that this medallion was hers." Elena's eyes flickered to the amber crystal around Bonnie's neck. "A witch's talisman."

"And it all started when you got the necklace?"

"I think she's using it to communicate with me." Bonnie fingered the stone before letting it fall back against her chest.

"Okay…" Elena took a second to process all of this before speaking again. "…What does Grams say about it?"

"I can't call her." Bonnie sighed. "She's going to tell me to embrace it; I don't want to embrace it, I want it to stop."

* * *

"Hi." Elena approached the picnic table Stefan was sat atop with a small smile.

"You weren't in class; I was worried." She stopped in front of him as he slid off the table top. "Izzy told me what happened with Lexi and Damon and you haven't been answering my calls or my messages and-"

"I'm sorry I didn't get back to you." He told her, hands stuffed in his pockets. "But what I wanna say shouldn't be said over the phone."

"A simple _I didn't kill my brother_ text would have sufficed." She joked but her smile dropped when his face remained stoic.

"I didn't kill my brother…as much as he deserved it." He sighed. "But that's all down to Izzy; she talked me down and made me see sense…I'm surprised she hasn't told you all of this; she's been at the Boarding House pretty much every night."

"What?" She asked, surprised by this piece of information. She had no idea that Izzy had been sneaking off every night.

"Yeah, she threw a lamp at him last night." He noticed her surprised look. "They have communication issues." He shrugged.

"What did…uh…what did you wanna tell me?" She asked, clearing her head of the image of her sister throwing a lamp at Damon Salvatore.

"I won't be coming to school anymore; I'm going to back off and keep my distance…it's the right thing to do."

"Back off from school or from me?" She asked and felt her heart break slightly at the awkward silence that followed. "Right, well, thank you for telling me."

"It's better this way."

"Yup, I got it." She took a step back from him.

"You're angry…that's good; it'll be easier if you hate me." She shot him a withering look before turning and heading towards the parking lot to meet Bonnie.

* * *

"I want **my** necklace."

"You can't have it." Elena slowed her pace as she rounded the corner and spotted Bonnie trying to walk as fast as she could away from the eldest Salvatore brother.

"No, I can't **take** it." He corrected, still following her to her car. "But you can give it to me." Elena walked as slowly as possible as she eavesdropped on the pair; all the more interested in Bonnie's talisman now she could see first-hand how much Damon wants it. "I'm trying to help you here."

"I don't want your help."

"You do want my help and you don't even know it." Damon's voice lowered as her car came into view. "You know why, you little witch? Cause you've stumbled into something you need to stumble out of."

"Just leave me alone or I swear-"

"Don't! No threats!" He slid around her and blocked the door to her car. "Look, A) you hurt me last time and B) I wish you no harm." The witch raised an eyebrow at his words. "Believe it or not, Bonnie, I wanna protect you. Let me help you get Emily off your back."

"How do you know about her?" Elena asked as she made her presence known and came to stand beside Bonnie.

"I know a lot of things." He smirked at them. "And I know more about that crystal than you do, and I know that she's using it to creep inside of you…See how scared you are? And, you should be, because I will get that crystal, even if I have to wait for Emily to give it to me herself. So, next time she comes out to play, you tell her that **a deal's a deal**." He gave them a hard look before stepping away from the car, opening the door and gesturing for Bonnie to climb inside. "Sweet dreams, Little Witch."

* * *

The car was silent as Bonnie processed what Damon had said to her. Elena eyed the girl and her white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel carefully.

"That man is bad news." She eventually said as the picturesque views of Mystic Falls flew past them. "He really scared me."

"You need to stay as far away from Damon as possible." Elena warned her.

"I'm trying but he just keeps showing up!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"I don't want you to be alone…you're staying at my place tonight." Elena decided and knew it was the right thing to say as Bonnie's grip relaxed. "We'll tell Iz what's going on and then we can make a whole night of it; sleepover style!"

"Thank you." Bonnie said before pulling the car over onto a grassy patch at the side of the road and throwing her door open.

"Whoa…what are you doing?" Elena called out as Bonnie got out, ripped the crystal from her neck and threw it into a nearby field. "Are you okay?" She asked, also exiting the car and watching her from the passenger side.

"Now I am." Bonnie turned to look at her. "All my problems were because of that thing." She re-opened her door and the pair slid back into the car. "I can't believe I didn't do that sooner." She sighed.

"What's your Grams going to say?"

"Grams isn't being haunted by a 150 year old ghost, is she?" She reminded her as she pulled off the grass and back onto the road.

"Touché."

* * *

"Hey, what are you doing home?" Elena greeted her sister as the blonde entered the kitchen. "I though you and Jenna were at the Grill, not…lamp shopping?" She eyed the bag in Izzy's hand and the lamp poking out of it.

"Hm? Oh it's a replacement." She placed it onto the table and dropped into one of the dining chairs. "I…uh…knocked one over at a friend's house and I've been searching for a suitable replacement all afternoon." She flicked the bag it was in with a sigh. "What are you two doing here?"

"We're having a sleepover." Bonnie told her with a small smile. "And…" She trailed off as the doorbell rang and Elena ran to answer it. "…and I better call my dad to make sure it's okay." She fished her phone from her pocket and excused herself outside.

"Iz!" Elena called for her sister. "Can you come here for a second?" The blonde pushed herself from the chair with a sigh, gathered the lamp in her arms and joined her Elena on the porch.

"What's up, because I really need to get this to…" She trailed off as she turned and found Stefan standing there awkwardly. "…to you actually." She handed him the bag. "It's a…uh…replacement for…"

"Thanks." He laughed. "I thought you'd started using bombs against each other when this thing hit the floor."

"Yeah…" She scratched her arm awkwardly. "…I forgot how heavy those things are…sorry if I woke you."

"It's fine." He assured her. "It was worth it to see Damon on his hands and knees picking up little pieces of glass at 3am." They shared a grin before Elena cleared her throat awkwardly. "So…"

"Damon threatened Bonnie." Izzy felt her fists clench as the girl spoke. "He said something about stumbling into something she needs to stumble out of and-"

"It's about the necklace, isn't it?" Izzy interrupted her and the girl nodded. "I've been racking my brains to try and figure out why he wants it so much but…"

"What necklace?" Stefan asked as he placed the lamp onto one of the chairs out on the porch.

"She has this necklace; Caroline got it from Damon and then she gave it to Bonnie but now Damon wants it back." Izzy explained.

"It's not just any necklace." Elena told them. "It has to do with Bonnie's heritage; it belonged to one of her ancestors who lived here during the Civil War."

"Why haven you told this me before now?" Izzy asked. "Damnit Elena!" She ran a hand through her hair and turned to Stefan. "I was right."

"No way, you said it yourself; it's a long shot that that's his plan."

"But if it is Emily's-"

"You know about Emily?" Elena interrupted with a frown. "How do you know about…" She stopped, her eyes going wide. "…the Civil War…" She breathed. "…you all lived here then." Stefan and Izzy shared a look as Elena pieced it together. "You knew her!"

"She was Katherine's handmaiden…and a witch." Stefan told her.

"You know about Bonnie too?"

"The night you invited us both for dinner – I made the connection."

"And I should have seen it sooner but Sheila hasn't shown any signs of magic in years and Bonnie had never shown the signs so I assumed it had just died out but…"

"You knew Grams was a witch too?" Elena asked.

"The Bennetts have a long line of witches in the family tree." Stefan told her. "What does the necklace look like?"

"I know I've seen it before but I can't place it." Izzy told him. "It's an antique iron setting with an-"

"Amber crystal." He finished for her. "It belonged to Katherine."

"Of course it did." Izzy slapped her forehead as an image of Katherine with the crystal around her neck formed in her head. "Emily gave it to her."

"So you were right." Stefan sighed.

"I told you."

"What's going on?" Elena asked, interrupting their vague conversation. "Why is the necklace so important?"

"That, I don't know…yet." Izzy told her. "But we'll find it out."

"Will Damon tell you what's going on?" The girl asked as Izzy placed the lamp back in Stefan's arms.

"We'll get it out of him." Stefan promised.

"So have a great sleepover, call Caroline and make her join her and keep an eye on Bonnie." She pressed a kiss to her forehead before joining Stefan at his car.

* * *

"So what's the plan?" Izzy asked as she and Stefan entered the Grill.

"We're going to play the Imitation Game." He told her with a grin. "I'll be me and you can be Damon."

"Fun, I've always wanted to glance inside the mind of a psychopath." They made their way through the labyrinth of tables and headed for the bar. "Who's that guy talking to Jeremy and Jenna?" She asked before extending her hearing to catch some of their conversation. "Mr Saltzman?"

"I don't know; I wasn't in class today."

"What? Why?"

"I'm not going to school anymore." She paused and reached out to grab his arm, pulling him back and making him face her.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm not going to school anymore." He shrugged. "It's safer for everyone if I don't get too close."

"Your brother killed your best friend to make it crystal clear to the council that we aren't vampires. You can't just stop turning up to school and give them another reason to pay close attention to you."

"I left for school and he killed Zach, I made friends and he turns one of their sisters into a vampire…can't you see that this is probably for the best?"

"What are you going to do, sit around and watch him all day? Follow him from room to room and tail him around town?" She asked sarcastically, fighting the urge to slap him around the head for being so stupid.

"If that's what it takes, then yes."

"We'll discuss this later." She told him with a glare. "Don't think I'm letting this drop."

"Yes mother." He sighed before turning from her and moving to the bar.

* * *

"So Stefan…" Izzy began as she took the seat on Damon's left at the bar. "…you know, I've been thinking and… I think we should start over; give this family thing another chance." She drawled. "We used to do it oh-so-well once upon a time." She finished with an eyebrow quirk that was oh-so Damon.

"I don't think so Damon." Stefan replied as he leant against the bar on Damon's right. "I can't trust you to be a nice guy; you kill everybody you set your eyes on." Damon smirked into the whiskey he was holding as they spoke.

"But we're brothers, Stef." She feigned hurt. "If you can forgive me; I can change."

"And that's how the conversation should have gone." Stefan told his brother as they dropped their acts.

"Does this mean that I get to play you?" Damon asked, ignoring Stefan and turning to Izzy. "Because that's a body I've always wanted to further investigate…I'm very method in that way." He smirked, his eyes burning as they connected with her own.

"You're a pig." She told him before plucking the glass from his hand and taking a drink.

"So what's with the bottle?" Stefan regained his attention.

"I'm trying to keep a low profile and this…" He gestured to the bottle. "…stops me from ripping into any passing townsfolk that take my fancy."

"You could always leave; find a new town to turn into your own personal Gas 'n' Sip." Stefan offered.

"I'll manage." He smirked, plucking the glass from Izzy's hand and draining it. "You don't have to keep an eye on me."

"We're not here to keep an eye on you." Izzy told him.

"So why are you here?"

"Family bonding." She shrugged, leaning over the bar and taking two glasses as Stefan grabbed the bottle and led them towards a secluded dart board.

* * *

Elena was glad she'd taken Izzy's advice and invited Caroline over. The bubbly blonde reminded her so much of her sister; the same golden hair, the same love of life and of food she noted as the girl unloaded a paper bag full of goodies onto the breakfast bar of the Gilbert's home.

The girl's chatter died as Bonnie entered the room and the pair avoided meeting each other's eyes as they stood side-by-side. Elena eyed them both carefully as she folded a few napkins for them, the silence in the normally bustling kitchen overwhelming.

"I'm sorry." Caroline sighed. "There; I said it." She emptied the bag and folded it down. "If you want the ugly-ass necklace, keep it; it's yours." The sweet smile at the end betrayed Caroline's true feelings but Elena was glad that Bonnie refrained to comment and instead offered the blonde a friendly smile in return before halting and guiltily frowning.

"Will you hate me if I threw it away?" There was a beat of silence before Caroline, to put it simply, exploded.

"You threw it away?!"

"I know it sounds crazy but the necklace was giving me nightmares; I had to get rid of it."

"You could have just given it back to **me**."

"Why, so you could give it back to Damon?" Elena asked with a smirk, deciding now was the appropriate time to weigh in.

"Screw Damon." Caroline sighed after a moment. "Are we doing manicures or what?" Her happy aura returned, the conversation forgotten. "Who has their kit?"

"Mine's in my bag." Caroline and Bonnie exchanged a real smile before the girl moved off to rifle through Bonnie's bag.

"So…Elena…" The brunette sighed as Caroline turned her attention to the final third of their group. "…how long do you think this fight with Stefan's gonna last? Is it like…a permanent thing?"

"I don't know, Caroline." Elena rolled her eyes as she and Bonnie broke into the food platters before them.

"Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?" Elena and Bonnie's heads snapped back to the blonde as she stared angrily into Bonnie's bag.

"What?"

She turned back to them, one eyebrow piqued and her palm closed around something. She glared at the pair before opening her hand and letting the amber crystal swing from its chain. Elena turned to gape at the witch whose eyes never moved from the swaying crystal.

"I'm not lying to you, Caroline; I swear." She told her as the girl threw it down in front of them.

"It's true, I watched her throw it into a field!" Elena defended her.

"Then explain it." Caroline all but stomped her foot in frustration.

"Emily." All attention turned back to Bonnie as he whispered to herself.

"Who's Emily?"

"The ghost."

"Oh, the ghost has a name now?" Caroline mocked.

"I wonder why she won't leave me alone?" Bonnie ignored Caroline and focused on Elena as she spoke.

"Okay, what is going on?!" Caroline yelled. "Why am I not a part of this conversation? You guys do this to me **all** the time!" She actually stamped her foot this time and Bonnie sighed as Elena tried to comfort her.

"That's not true, Caroline…" Elena began before Bonnie cut across her:

"Yes it is." She turned back to the blonde. "I can't talk to you; you don't listen."

"That's not true!"

"I'm a witch." Bonnie told her, face straight.

"And don't we all know it?" Caroline sneered as Bonnie groaned.

"See!" She shook her head at the blonde. "That's what I'm talking about; I'm trying to tell you something and you don't even hear it."

"I listen!" Caroline protested. "When do **I** not listen?"

* * *

Izzy sat on a bar stool happily pouring herself another drink as Stefan sank a dart into the bullseye with ease.

"Lucky shot." Damon commented as he moved to retrieve the projectile from the board.

"More like a carefully honed skill over many decades."

"You spent decades learning how to play darts?" Izzy snorted. "Lame."

"I spent decades perfecting my aim." Stefan corrected her with a smile. "Which is something you should have probably considered." He gestured to the chalk board where their scores were being kept and she frowned when she saw she was losing.

"You're beating me." Damon sounded shocked as he added the latest score to the board.

"Yeah." Stefan shrugged. "It's because I'm better than you."

"No, no." He shook his head. "You're better than her...not that it's hard." He pointed to a scowling Izzy who pointedly flipped him off. "You're just being lucky tonight."

"Okay, seriously, why are you both being so mean to me?" She asked, placing her glass down onto the raised table beside her and holding out a hand to be helped from the stool. "We all know that I'm aces with a bow and arrow, but these things…" She let go of Damon's hand and picked up the darts. "…these are just stupid."

"They're only stupid because you suck."

She ignored Damon and squinted at the dart board, her tongue out in concentration, before taking a dart between her fingers and flicking her wrist. She watched as it landed with a gentle thud just on the green felt of the 9. She felt her face break into a grin as she turned to the brothers, her arms out in victory.

"Pathetic." Damon said with a smile as she performed a small victory dance at the throwing line. He moved past her to pull out the dart and let out a laugh as he saw the positioning of the projectile. "It's out."

"What?" He face fell and she moved to stand beside him. "No way." They both stared at the dart and the fact that it was in fact planted in the black felt of the surround just shy of the green. She let out a groan. "Can I at least have 9 not double 9, but just 9?" She asked, peering up at the eldest brother.

"I'll need to confer." He tuned to Stefan. "Do we give her half points?"

"Fine." He conceded with a small smile. "But only because she'll use us as dartboards if we don't." She grinned and moved back to her seat, high-fiving Stefan as she passed.

"I'm on to you two." Damon said as he observed them both. "Reverse psychology; you're being all _ra-ra family time, yay!_ In the hopes I'll spill." The pair said nothing and just watched him. "It's a little transparent…but I admire the effort."

"You prefer the brooding forehead?" Stefan asked and pulled his famous scowl to emphasis the point?

"Or having various household items thrown at you?" Izzy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Seriously, what game do you think you're playing?" Damon asked.

"That's a funny question considering the fact that we have been asking you that for **months**." Stefan laughed as Damon turned back to the dartboard. "It's frustrating isn't it?"

His answer was a dart in the bullseye.

* * *

After a lot of prompting and shoving, Elena watched as Caroline eventually made her way into the living room where Bonnie had fled to after the…discussion…in the kitchen.

"Bonnie…" The witch refused to look up as Caroline addressed her. "…Look, it's just **not** me. I don't believe in the whole..." She gestured to Bonnie slightly. "But, if you do, then...okay; I'm in. That's all it takes for me to jump on board, because I consider you to be my **best friend**. And I'm saying this, knowing that Elena's in the kitchen listening to my **every** word." Bonnie laughed lightly and the girl took the opportunity to sit beside her on the couch. "Look, I didn't know how real this was for you, but I'm listening now. Okay?" She held out her hand and offered the crystal to Bonnie who took it before dropping to the side and instead holding Caroline's hand. "Elena, you can come in now; we're done."

The brunette entered the room with a shy smile that brightened when she saw her two best friends reunited and happy.

Well, there is just way too much drama in this room." Caroline announced as she let go of Bonnie's hand and fell back against the couch. "So, what do you guys wanna do?" She was met with shrugs before letting out a gasp as a thought came to her. "I have an idea. Why don't we have a séance?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Bonnie said nervously as Elena sneered slightly at the thought.

"Come on; let's summon some spirits." Caroline grinned. "This Emily chick has some **serious** explaining to do."

* * *

Within minutes, the trio had relocated to Elena's bedroom, all thoughts of food and manicures forgotten as they set up a small set of candles, turned off the lights and sat, holding hands around the flames.

"What are we doing?" Bonnie whispered, breaking the silence they had been sat in.

"I don't know." Elena laughed, her eyes opening and meeting Bonnie's before Caroline shushed them.

"Be quiet and concentrate." She told them, squeezing their hands. "Close your eyes, now take a deep breath and Bonnie; call to her."

"Emily…" Bonnie began. "…you there?"

"Really?" Caroline sighed. " _Emily, you there?_ That's all you got? Come on."

"Fine, geez." Bonnie rolled her shoulders, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Emily; I call on you. I know you have a message…I'm here to listen."

The room was still for a moment, the three girls about to give up, until the flames seemed to swell; heating the room significantly and causing the girls to break apart and slid away from them.

"Did that just-"

"Yeah, it just happened." Caroline confirmed for Elena as they all stared at the calming flames. Their hearts slowed as they returned to normal but they all exchanged stares as the temperature in the room dropped suddenly.

"It's just the air conditioning." Bonnie tried to assure them, thought they could both see the fright in her eyes.

"Ask her to show you a sign." Caroline urged as the flames swelled again. "Ask her." She prompted but Bonnie remained silent. "Emily, if you're among us…show us another sign." She ordered, taking control of the séance.

There was another moment of nothing and the three deflated slightly, both out of disappointment and relief.

"See." Bonnie forced a smile. "It's not working. I-" She was cut off as the windows behind her flew open. The young witch let out a yelp and scampered away from them. "I can't; I'm done." She told them, ripping the necklace from her throat and throwing it to the floor. As it hit the candles below her, the flames extinguished, plunging them into darkness. "Get the lights!" She cried. "Please, get the lights!" She begged.

"Hold, on." Elena rose and ran for the light switch beside her door. "I got it." She flicked the switch and they were back in light.

Bonnie took a deep breath as she scrunched her eyes shut, hoping to calm herself. Elena and Caroline shared a look before turning back to the girl who slowly opened her eyes. She ran a hand down her face but stilled when her eyes rested on the spot beside the candles.

"Guys…" She whispered. "…It's gone." She pointed to the spot where the necklace should be sat. "The necklace is gone."

* * *

The sky was black by the time they reached the high school's football field. Stefan jogged on ahead with a football in his hands as Damon and Izzy trailed behind him, the former occasionally taking swigs from the bottle of Bourbon between his fingers and the latter trying to keep her stilettoes from sinking into the pitch.

"So you're actually doing the Stefan diet?" She asked as she skirted a patch of mud on the grass. "No humans just our furry friends from the woods of Mystic Falls."

"Yup." He popped the 'p' and took a drink. "Not going to lie; it royally sucks." She let out a laugh at his words.

"Let me guess; nothing with feathers?" She teased.

"You know they freak me out." He smiled lightly at her as Stefan waited for them in the middle of the pitch. "What are we doing here, Stefan?" He called out still a yard or two away from the boy.

"Bonding." The younger brother said with a grin as he tossed around the ball. "Catch!" He threw it in a perfect arc and it landed straight in Damon's arms. The vampire glanced down at the ball before tossing it back to his brother, the bottle of Bourbon still in his left hand. "Come on." Stefan teased as they finally reached him. "Give it a try." He passed it back to Damon.

"Don't forget who taught you how to play this game." He said as he placed the bottle on the floor and tossed the ball around in his hands.

"And don't forget who beat you both." Izzy reminded them with a smirk. She eyed the ball and sighed. "Are we really doing this? Bonding via sport?" Stefan grinned at her and she rolled her eyes before using Damon's shoulder as a ledge and pulled her shoes off.

"Whoa, heels are coming off; this just got serious." Damon teased as she glared at him. "I forgot how short you actually are."

"Bite me." She bent to gather her shoes and place them beside the bottle.

"With pleasure."

"Are you two capable of a pleasant conversation?" Stefan sighed, though his smile gave away his happiness at seeing them acting more like their old selves.

"It's called banter, Stefan." She rolled her eyes. "It's setting the tone for the ass-whooping about to take place."

"Is that so, Miss Maxwell?"

"Indeed Mr Salvatore." She offered a mock curtsey to Damon and as her head was bowed the eldest Salvatore took the opportunity to throw the ball across the field and dart after it. "Cheater!" She called after him as she and Stefan also set off at vampire speed.

Using his own tactics against him, Izzy waited for Stefan to distract him before appearing from nowhere and tackling him to the ground. The pair fell with an 'oomph' as her body collided with his and hit the floor in a heap with Damon somehow angling it so she fell onto him.

"We need to work on your tackles." He groaned as Stefan's laughter filled the air. "You could've broken your neck."

"I'm a vampire Damon." She groaned as she rolled off of him and lay on the grass at his side. "Not like it was going to be the end for me. Besides…" She massaged her shoulder. "…the ground would have probably been softer. What are you built of, bricks?" She poked his abdomen playfully as he let out a cough.

"You two okay?" Stefan asked as he finally recovered from his laughing fit and joined them on the ground, his arms behind his head as they stared up at the sky.

"That hurt." Damon pouted as he rubbed his chest. "She's tiny and I could throw her around even when I was human…" He cursed as she half-heartedly slapped his arm. "…so how the hell did she hurt me so much?"

"Downside of my diet." Stefan told him. "Getting hit actually hurts a little bit."

They laid in silence with Damon letting out the occasional groan or wheeze as his body healed itself.

"Well, I'm impressed you two." Damon broke the silence. "Fun with booze and darts, sentimental with football, and now? Starry night." He gestured at the blanket of stars above them before hauling himself into a sitting position. "What do you want?" Stefan and Izzy mirrored his actions and sat up.

"It wasn't real Damon; our love for Katherine."

"Oh god." Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's words.

"She compelled us. We didn't have a choice. It took me years to sort that out; to truly understand what she did to us."

"Oh no Stefan, we are not taking **that** on tonight." He patted his knee before standing and wiping the grass from his jeans. "Not tonight." He sighed, holding a hand out for Izzy.

"What do you want with Katherine's crystal?" Stefan asked once the blonde was back on her feet and heading for her discarded shoes.

"How do you know about that?"

"Come on; you knew Elena would tell us and Izzy saw you at the Founder's Party."

"How do you know it was Katherine's? Emily gave it to her on her last night." He asked with a scowl. " **I** was with her, and you…weren't."

" **I** was the last one to see her, Damon." Stefan told him with a sigh and watched as his brother's face fell. "Now what do you want with Katherine's crystal?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"We had other things on our mind." He raised his eyebrow tauntingly and within seconds Damon was millimetres from his face.

"I could rip your heart out and not think twice about it."

"Yeah, we've heard that one before." Damon turned to see Izzy standing there, shoes dangling from the tips of her fingers and an exasperated look on her face. "Try something new."

"I have a surprise for you both." He told them after a moment of silence. He moved away from Stefan and stood facing them both. "I'm gonna bring her back."

* * *

"Okay, fun's over, Caroline." Elena announced as and Bonnie finished checking under her bed for the necklace. "You made your point and I get it…now give it back."

"What?" Caroline asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "I didn't take it." She told them, noticing their disbelieving looks. "I didn't!" She insisted.

Elena sighed and turned away from Caroline before stalling as she saw something move across her doorway out of the corner of her eye.

"What?" Caroline asked, turning to look. "What happened?"

"I don't know…" Elena trailed off. "…Jeremy? Are you home?" She called out and was met with silence. "Jeremy?" She walked into the hall and flicked on the light searching for the source of the movement.

"Found it." Bonnie called to them as she spotted the crystal lying on the floor of Elena's bathroom. "The wind must've-" She cut herself off as the bathroom door swung shut behind her as she bent to pick up the necklace. "Guys?"

"Bonnie!" Elena ran back into the room as she heard the lock click into place and found Caroline slamming her fists onto the wood. "Bonnie!" They pounded on the door as Bonnie's muffled screams emanated from the bathroom. "Try the other door; I'll check the hallway." She told Caroline and the pair raced from the room, pounding on the other entrances to the bathroom as the house lights flickered.

"Bonnie!" Caroline called to her from Jeremy's room. "Bonnie! Open the door!"

"Bonnie!" Elena cried as the door she threw her weight against opened and she stumbled into the room. "Oh my God, Bonnie, are you okay?" She asked as she saw the girl stand still, her head in her hands."

"I'm fine." She told her, her voice distant as she peeled her hands from her face.

"Unbelievable." Caroline sighed as she skidded around the corner and entered the bathroom panting. "You were totally faking it."

"Caroline, come on." Elena protested.

"No!" The blonde shouted. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Bonnie?" Elena ignored the girl and instead focused on the apparently bewildered Bonnie. "Bonnie?"

"I'm fine…everything's fine."

* * *

"How can you bring Katherine back?" Izzy called after Damon as she and Stefan jogged to catch up to him as he stalked through the football field's parking lot.

"Before Katherine and the others were killed in the church, do you remember what it was like in this town?" He asked turning to them.

"I remember the fear and the hysteria." Stefan told him.

"Townspeople were killing vampires one by one." He reminded them. "When they came for Katherine, I went straight to Emily and said; _I'll do_ _ **anything**_ _. Name your price. Just protect her._ And she did."

"How?"

"She did some kind of spell with the crystal and while the church was burning, and we thought Katherine was burning in it…she wasn't."

"But I saw her." Izzy insisted. "You were both lying in the road, dead, and they grabbed her and threw her in the wagon and…"

"There's a tomb underneath the church." Damon told her. "The spell sealed Katherine in that tomb, protecting her."

"Are you telling us that Katherine…Katherine Pierce…is alive?" Stefan asked with a frown.

"If that's what you want to call it." Damon laughed humourlessly. "She's been trapped in a mystical holding cell for the last century and a half, but you're an expert on starving a vampire, so how do you think she's doing, Stef?" Stefan glared at his brother. "Did you know that witches can use celestial events to draw energy into their magic? Me either." He shrugged. "But in order to give the crystal its power, Emily used the comet that was passing overhead. And, in order for that crystal to work again…"

"The comet had to return." Izzy finished for him, her voice barley a whisper.

"Downside; long time between comets." Damon let out a low whistle. "Loong time. And a couple of hiccups along the way with the crystal and its location but, the comet passed and I got the crystal." He smiled victoriously.

"But then Caroline got the crystal." Izzy reminded him, her voice stronger. "And now Bonnie has the crystal."

"And here **we** are." He added.

"Why would Emily…why would she do this for you?" Stefan asked.

"Because she knew they going to come for her too." Izzy pieced it together slowly.

"And she made me promise that her lineage would survive." Damon smiled prompting another memory from the woman.

"That's why you saved her children."

"And it's the only thing keeping me from ripping that little Bonnie girl's throat out to get my crystal back. Oh well, a deal's a deal." He shrugged. "So...you wanna go throw some more?"

* * *

"I can't believe I fell for it." Caroline sneered as they followed Bonnie out of the bathroom and onto the landing. "I can't believe you-"

"Are you okay?" Elena asked as Bonnie strode past her, hands clasped in front of her and facing straight ahead.

"I must go."

"She's leaving?" Caroline asked in disbelief. "After that little show?" she scoffed. "Fine; I'm leaving too."

"You guys can't leave!" Elena insisted as Bonnie calmly made her ways downstairs while Caroline seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown.

"I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night." Caroline told her before following Bonnie down the stairs in a huff.

"Thank you for having me." Bonnie told Elena as she stood before the door. "I'll take it from here."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to where it all began." She said as she opened the door.

"Bonnie!" She cried as the pieces fell into place as Elena took in Bonnie's rigid posture and vacant look. "Oh my God; it's Emily!" The witch turned at the sound of her name and stared at the girls.

"I won't let him have it." She took a step onto the porch. "It must be destroyed." The door slammed behind her.

"Wait!" Caroline cried as Elena flew down the stairs and tried to open the door. "What's happening?" She asked, also racing to the door as Elena struggled to open it.

"I don't know…the door…its' not…" She pulled hard on the handle but the door wouldn't budge. Caroline wrapped a hand around it and together they pulled, letting out a shriek as it opened and a person stepped in.

"What the hell?" Jeremy asked as he was greeted with screams.

"I'm out of here." Caroline told her before grabbing her jacket and storming from the house.

Elena ran a hand through her hair, her head moving from the kitchen where she could hear Jeremy moving around to Caroline as she ran down the driveway and got into her car before speeding away. She took a breath before doing what she knew she should have done a while ago.

"Elena? What's wrong?" Izzy's voice crackled slightly through the phone Elena shakily held to her ear.

"It's Bonnie."

"What happened?" Her sister's voice became clearer.

"Emily is…she's possessing her; she said something…"

"What did she say?" Elena could hear her shushing someone beside her as she strained to extend her hearing to scan the Gilbert house.

"She said; _I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed._ And then she just left."

There was silence before Izzy spoke again, her voice calm and collected.

"Where do you think she went?"

"I don't know…I…Fell's Church…by the old cemetery that's where she took Bonnie in her dreams. We have to help her, Iz."

"Just stay there; I'll find her."

* * *

"I can't believe that jackass ditched us." Izzy grumbled as she and Stefan made their way through the woods, dead leaves crunching under foot as they ducked the low hanging branches of the winter touched trees. "Actually, I can't believe **you** let him get him away."

"I was distracted for one minute." He argued. "And my guess is that he was doing exactly what I was; listening in on your conversation."

"You're 162 Stefan; don't tell me you haven't been taught what boundaries are yet?" She teased but quickly silenced as low groans filled her ears. "Shhh." She held a hand out to stop the boy and together they quickly tracked the source of the noise. "Now that's a spectacular image." She smirked as they strolled towards a tree with a very odd ornament impaled on its trunk. "I feel like it should be entitled; _Just Desserts_ or even _Bite vs Bark_ …what do you think Stef?"

The younger vampire hid a grin before stepping forward to pull his brother from the protruding branch and deposit him on the forest floor.

"That hurts." He whined as he was finally separated from the tree. "This is why I feed on people." Izzy rolled her eyes at his groans as he tried to push himself up.

"Stefan…" They all turned to face Bonnie as she stared at them, a large stick in her hand. "…and Isabella."

"Hello Emily." Stefan greeted the ghost currently possessing the teenager.

"And it's Iz now." The woman told her with a small wave. "But whatever, we're old friends so I'll let it slide…"

"These people don't deserve this." She ignored her and instead focused on the shape she had half carved into the dirt. "They should never know of such evil."

"What do you mean; evil?"

"Emily…" Damon cut across them. "…I swear to God; I'll make you regret this." Izzy glared at the kneeling vampire as he held a hand to his slowly healing wound.

"How about you shut up for a while, huh?" She asked, nudging his shoulder with the tip of her shoe.

"I won't let you unleash then into this world." They turned their attention back to Emily.

"Them?" Izzy asked with a frown.

"What part of the story did you leave out, Damon?" Stefan turned back to his brother who continued to unsuccessfully attempt to get to his feet.

"Thought I was shutting up?" Izzy kicked him. "What does it matter?" He asked with a glare. "She's in there and that's all I care about."

"Emily, what did you do?" Stefan asked her. "Tell me what you did."

"To save **her** , I had to save them."

"You saved everyone in the church, didn't you?" Izzy breathed out, shock clouding her features. "All of them."

"With one, comes all."

"I don't care about them." Damon reiterated as he eventually got to his feet, using the two vampires to pull himself to his feet. "I just want Katherine."

"I knew I shouldn't have believed a single word that came out of your mouth!" Stefan seethed s he grasped the collar of his leather jacket. "This isn't about **love**! This is about revenge."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive." Damon shrugged his hands off him.

"Damon you can't do this!" Stefan cried, not noticing that Izzy stayed out of it and instead was watching Emily continue to draw her symbol in the floor.

"Why not?!" Damon pushed his brother away. "They killed 27 people and then called it a war battle! They deserve whatever they get!"

"27 vampires, Damon." He reminded him. "Vampires, not people; you can't just bring them back!"

"This town deserves this."

"You're blaming innocent people for something that happened 145 years ago!"

"There is nothing innocent about these people and don't think for a second it won't happen again!"

Izzy finally intervened in the spitting match as she tapped urgently on Stefan's shoulder and pointed to Emily and her completed pentagram. The brothers turned to the witch as she inspected the symbol.

"They already know too much; the council had the compass!" Damon spat before directing his shouts to Emily. "And soon they'll burn your little grand-witch right next to **us** when they find out…" He gestured to the three of them as they stood in a line facing the witch. "…trust me!"

"Things are different now." She told them.

"Don't do this." He begged her.

"I can't free them…I won't." She dropped the stick and removed the crystal from around her neck. Holding it she stood in the centre of the pentagram and shouted; "Incendia!" The pentagram went up in flames, highlighting its rough outline and the witch stood, arms raised, dead centre.

As the flames flickered the image of Bonnie became hazy and soon the vampires were instead staring at Emily as she had been back in 1864.

"No!" Damon shouted as she placed the crystal into her palm and began slowly chanting. "No, please!"

"Bonnie!" Elena burst through the tree line, panting and Izzy gestured for Stefan to grab her.

The vampire moved quickly, catching Elena before she could get too close to the mystical fire and holding her away from Izzy and Damon, the latter inching closer and closer to the pentagram while Izzy kept her eyes trained on Damon ready to intervene.

"No!" Damon cried as she deftly flicked her wrist, sending the necklace high into the air where it exploded, raining down orange sparks as the crystal burst into a million pieces, effectively breaking whatever spell it held.

His eyes were wild as made to lunge for the witch, whose form had returned to that of Bonnie, but Izzy was too quick; she intervened, tackling him away from the fires and keeping him from the witch. She held him in place until the flames receded and only Bonnie was left. She felt his body deflate as he stared up into the night sky where miniscule embers still danced, and stood, offering a hand to help him.

"Damon…" She began as he pulled himself to his feet. "…I'm so-" With a quick tug on her arm she was on the floor, howling as her arm broke upon hitting the dirt with such a force. Before she could blink, the air filled with screams and, heaving herself upright, she watched as Damon sunk his fangs into Bonnie's neck.

She gritted her teeth and flicked her arm, forcing the bones to set and scrambled to her feet as Stefan yanked Damon away from the screaming girl. She raced to Bonnie's side and made it just as Elena sank to her knees beside her, trying to comfort the unconscious girl while applying pressure to her neck.

"She's gonna be fine." Izzy told her sister as she joined her on the floor beside Bonnie.

"How?!" She cried. "Her neck, it's…and she's…" She trailed off as she watched Izzy bite into her own wrist and dribble some blood into Bonnie's mouth.

Her eyes returned to the wrist and she watched in fascination as the skin knitted back together seamlessly. She glanced up to Izzy with horror filled eyes before looking back down to Bonnie and watching the same phenomenon occur to the skin on her neck as her eyes flew open.

* * *

"I don't understand…" Bonnie's eyes flickered over the ground where the outline of the pentagram could still be made out. "…what happened to me, Elena?"

Elena also glanced around the small clearing in the woods as she questioned how to answer Bonnie. Her mind was in overdrive as she took in the sight of Izzy and Stefan quietly conversing on the edges of the tree line while Damon was sat on one of the ruins from Fell's Church that was dotted around the area.

"He attacked me." Bonnie whispered as her eyes also landed on Damon as the vampire held his head in his hands. "And his face…it was like-"

"How do you feel?" Elena took her shoulders and turned her away from Damon, forcing her to look into her eyes only. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She told her shakily. "It's just this blood." She pressed a hand to the dried blood on her neck. "And I don't-" She stopped as Izzy came into view; the blonde carefully making her way over to the scared witch. "She was…"

"I'm not gonna hurt you." Izzy told her, holding her hands up in surrender. "I just think we need to have a chat…"

"Elena, what's going on?" Bonnie asked tearfully.

"It's fine." She wrapped an arm around her best friend. "It's just Iz, she won't hurt you…I'll explain everything, Bon." She promised. "Let's just get out of here." She pointed out the headlights of her car, just visible through the trees, and the young witch shakily made her way towards them, leaving Izzy and Elena alone. "Is she in danger of becoming…" She gestured to Iz with a worried stare.

"No." She assured her. "She would have to die with my blood in her system for her to turn, just…keep an eye on her, okay? Once it leaves her system she'll be fine but keep her away from sharp objects…just to be on the safe side." She patted her sister's shoulder and stepped away, turning to speak with Stefan.

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"What?" Izzy turned back to the girl.

"I'm going to tell her the truth and…I think it'll go better if you're there to...to answer any questions."

"Are you sure, Elena?"

"I can trust her; she's my best friend and I need someone to know…someone I can talk to that isn't…"

"Me?"

"I can't live in secret, Izzy." She said quietly, playing with her keys to avoid looking her sister in the eye.

"You shouldn't have to." She sighed and took one of Elena's hands in her own. "I never wanted any of this to happen…if I'd know what he was planning I'd have-"

"You saved her life." Elena reminded her. "And I know that you've done everything you can to keep us all safe, but, I need to talk to someone…I need my best friend." They both turned to the car in which Bonnie was sat. "And I need you to help me."

* * *

Izzy sat on the window seat as Bonnie and Elena occupied the bed; the teenage girls facing each other as Elena slowly revealed everything. Bonnie's teary gaze often flickered over to the blonde as her family story was revealed…well the parts Elena knew were anyway.

Their hands tightened around each other's as the full story of what Damon did to Caroline came out and then, finally, she moved onto Stefan; how he came to town to start fresh and was followed by his brother, how neither of the Salvatore's knew their childhood best friend was also living here, that the night Bonnie came for dinner with Stefan was the first time they'd all seen each other in 15 years.

The girls were quiet when all had been said and Izzy remained silent, as she had been for the whole conversation. Her eyes were down, staring at her shoes as she rested her forearms on her thighs. The blonde waited for Bonnie to speak…to say anything but nothing came. With a small sigh, Izzy stood and headed for the door, not looking at either girl.

Her hand was on the door knob when she stopped, a small hand was on her shoulder and she turned, staring straight into the glassy eyes of Bonnie Bennett. There was another beat of silence and Izzy wondered if Bonnie was going to slap her or witchy her or simply outright state that she hated her.

But she didn't.

And the blonde felt her eyes fill when the girl instead embraced her.

* * *

Elena's knock on the door of the Boarding House was tentative to say the least. She had been stood on the porch for a solid five minutes listening to the battle within rage.

The brother's shouts eventually died down, and when silence fell over the house she took a breath and pushed the door open.

Stepping into the foyer of the magnificent house, she was once again reminded of how old they truly were; she peered through the archway and into the parlour to stare at the antique furniture which was easily the best she had ever seen and that fireplace, well that just gave her chills…ironically.

She opened her mouth to call for Stefan but shut it quickly when she heard their argument begin again. She wished she had Izzy's extendable hearing when all she could make out were muffled voices and thanked God that she was wearing flats as she tiptoed through the house, following the voices and hoping they were too distracted with each other to hear her.

"I don't believe you." Stefan's voice was the first she identified as she loitered outside a room she had never seen before; the walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases holding novels and ledgers, old and new, and if she peered around the arch slightly, she could just make out a set of armchairs and a coffee table. "I don't for a second believe that Katherine never compelled you."

She heard the tell-tale sounds of a drink being poured before Damon replied.

"I knew everything, Stefan." He took a sip. "Every step of the way; it was real for me."

"You see, I'd believe you but you don't exactly have a track record for telling the truth…especially about Katherine."

"Well that's your problem, not mine."

"And it'd probably be easier to lie to me if I wasn't there…if I hadn't seen it."

"Seen what, Stefan?" He sighed, falling into an armchair and propping his feet up.

"You…and Izzy." Elena could hear the smirk in his voice. "You forget that I saw it all, Damon; the first meeting, first walk together, first ball…I can recall every second of your first love."

"We need to work on your boundaries."

"You even have the same sense of humour." He pointed out with a smile. "And so, knowing all that I do, I will never believe that Katherine didn't compel you to love her because I know that you would never leave Izzy so easily."

"You can't leave someone you were never with." Damon pointed out as he drained his glass. "And Katherine was everything I ever wanted in a woman; smart, sexy, killer body and to top it all off – she was a lady."

"You realise you've just described Iz, right?" Elena stifled a laugh as she pictured the glare Damon was throwing his brother right now.

"Why are you so invested in this, Stefan? It was 145 years ago."

"Because you keep lying to yourself about it. You keep telling yourself that it was real, that she loved you and never compelled you. Well she did, Damon! She compelled us both and tore our family apart!"

"Our family was fracturing anyway!" Damon snarled. "She just pointed out the problems to the oblivious one in the house."

"What are you trying to say?"

"It took him hauling your love off to be killed for you to see the real man our father was!" Damon's hands tightened around the empty glass. "That was the first time you saw who he was; a vile man who had no compassion whatsoever! Izzy knew that and she protected you from it!" He shouted, his voice pained as he recalled the memories of their childhood. "For years she batted off men who wanted her hand so she could stay at home and look after you! Why do you think I joined the army Stefan? Hmm? To get away from him! I knew Iz would keep you safe, keep you oblivious to everything so I left because I hated him…because you two are the only family I've ever really had!"

Elena took a step away from the room, her hand over her mouth as Damon's emotions poured from him. She knew she had overstepped by coming here but now she was too far in and had to stay or risk being found.

"You loved her." Stefan said softly. "I know you did and all I'm asking is that admit it. Admit that Katherine compelled you to love her just so I know you weren't playing with her feelings, so I know you weren't always a monster."

"What do you want from me, Stefan?" Damon sighed.

"The truth…or at least part of it…stop lying to me Damon; I'm your brother."

"The truth?" Damon laughed humourlessly. "The truth is that I wouldn't have even looked at Katherine if Iz hadn't lost interest in me." He laughed again. "It's like she woke up one morning and decided she could do better, which I always knew she could but, she wouldn't even look at me…it's like we had never been friends never mind anything more; we were done…so I moved on."

Silence fell over the room as Damon rose to pour himself another drink.

"Katherine compelled her to forget." The brother's head snapped towards the doorway as Elena cautiously stepped into the room.

"What?" Damon bit out as the decanter in his hand hovered over his glass. "What did you just say?" He asked again, his voice darker as Elena swallowed nervously and took another step into the room, only just realising how close she had been to being spotted as Stefan was leaning against the balustrades for the raised part of the library.

"Katherine compelled her to forget." She repeated. "She told me that…um…you went into town and got soaked one day and you were ill after it." Damon nodded once, sharply, the decanter still perched on the lip of his glass, the liquid not moving an inch as his eyes remained on her. "And when she was better, Katherine visited her one morning and compelled her to forget about you and to only see you as a friend; not even a best friend just…" She trailed off and her eyes darted around the room, noticing how Stefan had moved to stand beside his brother, both facing her now. "…and then she suffocated her."

"Father fired the maid after Katherine said it was her who trapped Iz in the corset and left her for dead."

"It was Katherine and she said that-"

"How do you know this?" Damon asked, finally remembering the decanter in his hand and pouring himself a drink. "Do you make a habit of snooping on people?"

"I asked about her childhood." Elena told him, all traces of nerves gone as he accused her. "I wanted to know what it was like and Stefan said that you two were close." He nodded slowly and raised the glass to his lips, taking a sip of the amber liquid.

"And she told you?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Because she never told **me**!" He shouted, the glass shattering in his grip. Elena took a step away from the seething man as shards of glass tumbled form his clenched fist and formed a sparking pile on the carpet. "You're lying." He murmured after a few seconds. "You have to be; she plays her cards close to chest; she'd never admit that to anyone except-"

"I'm her sister, Damon." Elena reminded him, her bravery returning. "And if you don't believe me…" She reached up and undid the chain around her neck. "…just ask."

"Elena no, put that back on and-" Elena ignored Stefan's protests as Damon stalked closer to her, shards falling out of his hand as he un-clenched the fist and rested his hands either side of her face before staring into her eyes and letting his instinct take over.

"Tell me the truth."

"She told me that you were best friends; that you were her everything. She said she doesn't have a memory before she turned that doesn't have you in it. She said that even though she was 10 when she came to live with you, the Salvatores' were the only real family she can remember. She said that you were never just a brother to her and that if she could turn back time…she'd stake Katherine the second she stepped out of her carriage."

Damon stepped away from Elena as the last word tumbled from her lips. As he removed his hands from her face, she felt her mind un-cloud and her eyes slowly blinked back to life. She quickly replaced the necklace around her neck and gripped the locket tightly; hating how out of control she had felt when he compelled her.

"Let's go into the other room." Stefan said slowly as he eyed his brother who had stepped completely away from Elena and was now staring into the small fireplace in the library. He took her arm and led her out, stopping when they were back where her adventure had started, just before the door.

"I'm sorry I barged in I-"

"It's fine." He told her, listening carefully or any sounds coming from the library. "I'm glad someone else heard that because otherwise I'd be convinced that I made it all up." He offered her a tense smile. "She really told you all of that?"

"We're enforcing a 'no secrets' policy." She told him. "It was her idea actually and agreeing to it was the only way she'd stop reading my diary." She shrugged although there was a small smile tugging at her lips as she thought of her sister's antics. "I…um…I actually came to talk to you." Stefan gestured for her continue. "I…I thought that I couldn't be with you…and…now I…well…" She trailed off as she realised how much she was rambling and apologised. "…now I know I can. You don't have to push me away; I can do this." She took his hand and squeezed it hopefully.

"I can't." He told her and pulled his hand away from her. "I have to leave, Elena. Too many people have died…too much has happened."

"What? No." She frowned at his choice of words. "I know you think you're protecting me but-"

"I have to go." He told her firmly. "Coming home was…it was a mistake…I can't be a part of your life anymore."

"No." She felt her eyes fill. "You can't leave this…" She gestured to the house. "…Mystic Falls is your home."

"It **was** my home." He told her. "A very long time ago and who knows; if things were different…" He nodded towards the library where Damon was now pacing. "…maybe I could have had a life here."

"I-"

"I'm going to pay your 'sister' a quick visit." Damon announced as he strode down the hall. "There are things we need to discuss."

"She's with Bonnie." Elena told him quickly, thankful for the interruption. "They're talking and Iz is telling her about her family; turns out she knows Grams a little."

"Besides, you're volatile." Stefan turned to him. "It's taken you 145 years to admit that she wasn't nothing to you and you've just watched your only hope of finding Katherine literally explode…I don't think it's wise you go now."

"Don't fret, little brother." Damon placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "We're besties, remember?"

"You **were** besties." Stefan corrected, frowning at the term. "If you turn up on her door tonight and demand to know why she never told about Katherine, she's more likely to slam your fingers in the door-jam than answer you."

"I guess we'll have to see." He smirked. "Who knows; maybe I'll be the hero come tomorrow morning."

"No." Stefan's tone made him stop in his tracks. "I'm not letting you ruin her life again." He told his brother. "She has a life here; a family, Damon." He gestured to Elena as she stood quietly to one side. "Give her time to live the life she wanted and then some day we can work everything out."

Elena watched as the muscle in Damon's jaw ticked as he stood; hand ready to open the door.

"You should go, Elena." Stefan turned back to her. "Tell your sister that we're sorry we brought so much trouble to this town and that we'll be gone in a few days." Elena felt her heart break as she watched Stefan's eyes move back to Damon and the brothers stared at each other, silently making a decision. "Tell her we're leaving Mystic Falls...for good."


	10. The Turning Point

The Gilbert House was eerily quiet as Elena readied herself for school. Aside from Jenna moving around in the kitchen and humming along with the radio; there was no sound at all. The brunette teenager frowned as she exited her room and stood, listening for any sounds of life from her sibling’s rooms.

She made her way to the shut door on the opposite side of the landing and knocked lightly before pushing it open. The room was empty. Elena sighed at the sight of the un-slept in bed and checked her phone for any messages from her sister letting her know where she was.

Izzy had been practically absent from the house ever since Elena had told her of the Salvatore’s plans to up and leave Mystic Falls. The memory of Izzy’s smile fading slightly as the news was delivered had stayed with Elena; she had been sure that her sister would rejoice in finally succeeding at ridding their town of one Damon Salvatore, but the blonde had simply forced a smile and locked herself away in her room. That had been two days ago and she’d barely seen her since.

Pulling the door closed, Elena shook her head and instead focused on the sibling that was at home. Peering through the slightly ajar door next to her own, Elena felt a true grin blossom on her lips as she saw a sight she thought had been lost forever; her baby brother was sat at his desk sketching.

“Jeremy’s got his sketch pad out.” She told Jenna in a whisper as she encountered the red-head at the bottom of the stairs.

“You’re kidding?” She asked in disbelief, glancing up to the second floor hopefully.

“Nope.” Elena grinned, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. “But don’t say a word; the minute we encourage him, he’ll put it away and accuse us of spying.”

“Psychology major.” Jenna gestured to herself. “Check that.” Elena laughed at her aunt before checking her phone again and sending a quick _‘Hey, you okay?’_ to her sister. “Stefan?” Elena looked up from the screen at Jenna’s question.

“No; just texting Iz.” She sighed and pocketed the phone. “Besides; Stefan knows how I feel and where I stand and I know where he stands but…it doesn’t matter; he’s leaving.”

“He’s moving?” Jenna asked. “But he just got here. Where’s he going?”

“I’ve stopped asking questions.” Elena told her as she buttoned her jacket. “The answers get scary.”

The women shared a sad smile before exiting the house together.

“Where _is_ your sister?” Jenna asked with a frown as she eyed the empty space on the driveway where Izzy was usually parked. “I saw her at breakfast yesterday and I heard her come home not long after Logan left but then her car was gone pretty soon after so…”

“Logan?”

“He’s back.” Jenna told her and Elena groaned at the news. “Turned up last night and tried to persuade me to let him in; I didn’t let him past the front door.” She assured her niece as Elena sent her a raised eyebrow.

“I hope you slammed it in his face.”

“Wanted to…figured we better not give the neighbours anything to gossip about.” She smiled, waving sarcastically to the man collecting his newspaper across the road.

“Three strike rule, Jenna.” Elena reminded her as she climbed into the front seat of her aunt’s car. “You’re not even allowed to watch the news if he is back.”

“Exactly.” Jenna agreed as she pulled away from the house. “No more Logan ‘Scum’ Fell.”

The pair laughed as they drove down the street and towards the High School.

“So if Stefan is leaving town, does that mean his hot brother is too?”

“Jenna!”

“What?” the red-head laughed as they sat at traffic lights. “It’s a good question.”

“They’re both leaving.” Elena told her as she gazed out the window.

“Maybe that’s why your sister’s not around.” Elena turned back to the woman with a questioning look. “Maybe she’s spending some alone time with the hot Salvatore before he leaves.” Jenna grinned, shooting the girl a wink as they pulled off.

“Trust me…” Elena laughed. “…Izzy isn’t spending _that_ sort of time with him.”

* * *

“You stayed here again last night.”

“Just spending some time with Stef before you both leave.” Izzy said halting her journey to the Boarding House’ kitchen to lean against the archway into the sitting room, studying Damon as he stared out of the window; his back to her.

Silence fell between them as he nodded slightly, never turning away from the window.

“Any idea where you’ll go?” She asked him, picking at her nails as she voiced the question that had been on her lips since Elena had last spoken to her.

“I don’t know.” He mused. “London maybe: see some friends.”

“You don’t have any friends, Damon.” Izzy sighed at Stefan’s chide as he joined them.

“You’re right brother; I only have you.” Damon turned to face them, rolling his eyes. “So where are we going?”

“ _We_ are not going anywhere.” Stefan told him sternly. “I’m going to live my life as far away from you as possible.”

“But we’re a team!” Damon called after him sarcastically as Stefan walked away from the room. “We could travel the world together; try out for the ‘Amazing Race’!”

“You’re hilarious Damon.” Stefan called behind him as he made his way through the house; leaving them alone again.

“Seriously Damon, where are you going?”

“Why do you care? Hmm?” He asked, his eyes focusing on her for the first time in days. “You’re getting what you’ve wanted since I set foot in this town; I’m leaving and not a single hair on your precious fake family’s heads is harmed.”

“Just because we don’t see eye-to-eye anymore doesn’t mean I don’t ca-” She stopped as the doorbell cut her off. “Stefan, get the door!” She called, sighing as she lost her moment to try and figure out why he was acting so weird and maybe actually say a proper goodbye to him.

“I’m here to see your brother.” She felt her eyebrow quirk as Liz Forbes voice filtered through the house and with a questioning look to Damon, the pair made their way to the foyer.

“Sheriff.” Damon greeted the woman. “What a surprise.”

“Sorry to bother you but-” She stopped as her eyes landed on Izzy. “Oh good, you’re here; there was no answer at your house and now we can all talk together.”

“Talk?” Izzy asked.

“Yes…about-”

“Perhaps we should go out back.” Damon suggested as he eyed a loitering Stefan. “More privacy.”

Liz offered a strained smile as she followed them through the house and out onto the back patio overlooking the magnificent grounds of the Salvatore Estate.

* * *

“Did I miss something?” Elena asked Bonnie as the pair strolled down the corridor, weaving their way through the gathered High schoolers, on their way to class.

“What do you-” Bonnie stopped as Elena nodded to a couple stood very close and laughing at the other end of the corridor. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“They’ve been hanging out.” Bonnie told her as Caroline poked Matt in the chest as the jock laughed.

“Kind of weird, don’t you think?” Elena asked, watching them closely as they parted and walked into class together.

“Nah.” Bonnie waved it away. “She needs someone nice, as opposed to a homicidal vampire like Damon.”

“Yeah.” Elena sighed, agreeing with the witch. “How are you doing with all of that, by the way?”

“I’m freaked out.” Bonnie told her honestly. “Damon attacked me, Izzy healed me; I mean…I should be dead right now.” She sighed. “But I’m also grateful.”

“Grateful?”

“To Izzy and Stefan; they saved my life and your sister answered all my questions so…yeah I’m grateful.”

“Same.” Elena smiled. “I think I love Izzy even more now I know everything, I just don’t understand why she seems so…sad that they’re leaving.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that?” Bonnie asked as they stopped at their lockers. “Have you spoken to him?”

“Not since he told me.” Elena said, throwing her scarf into her locker and scowling at the picture of her and Stefan at his first football game that was pinned to the inside of the door. “For all I know; he’s already gone.”

“He wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.” Bonnie told her and Elena hummed as she reached for her books. “Well he wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Iz.”

“I haven’t seen _her_ either.” Elena huffed. “I told you, she just…left after I said they were going; Jenna thinks she’s with Damon.”

“Maybe she is.” Bonnie shrugged. “Look…” She started as Elena threw her a look. “…you said yourself that they have a long and complicated history…maybe she’s spending time with him and Stefan before they leave…they were family once.”

“Maybe.” Elena agreed quietly, her eyes flicking to another picture pinned in her locker and smiling as she took in the goofy faces she and Izzy were pulling in it.

“So what are you gonna do?”

“What am I supposed to do? I’ve already begged him not to go; if I ask again I’m just being selfish.” She closed her locker and met Bonnie’s eyes sadly. “It is what it is.”

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Bonnie shrugged as they began to walk down the corridor again. “I mean, what kind of future could you have had with him even if he stayed?”

“I-” Elena stopped as a banner pinned above their classroom door fell down, blocking their entry. “Did you just…?” She gestured to the banner and Bonnie laughed as she read it.

“No, I swear that wasn’t me.”

Elena sighed and pushed past the banner making her way into class, ignoring the mocking lettering screaming at her: _The Promise of your Future._

* * *

“I hope you understand the secrecy.” Damon began as they all stood outside. “Stefan doesn’t know about the council yet and I’d like to keep it that way.” He told her and Izzy wanted to scoff at his ‘protective big brother’ act.

“Of course.” Liz smiled at him as Izzy hugged herself against the cold breeze. “Kids are too young to be brought into this.”

“So, what do you need?” Izzy asked as the Sheriff became momentarily side-tracked by the views.

“There’s been another attack.” She told them, and Izzy felt her eyes close in disbelief. “A female victim; her throat torn out, completely drained of blood.” Izzy opened her eyes and stared at the woman. “It fits the pattern.”

“I’m sorry: I don’t understand.” Damon said as Izzy raked a hand through her matted hair. “I thought we solved that problem when I…” He paused and met Izzy’s eyes momentarily. “…Staked the blonde one.” She fought a flinch at his cold words and the memory of a grey Lexi.

“I'm thinking she must have turned someone…or multiple someone’s…I don’t know.” Izzy nodded and reached out to the Sheriff as the woman’s voice became desperate. “The story for the town is another animal attack…but I’m not sure how long we can keep lying to them.” She told them. “The council is in an uproar: we thought we were past this.”

“So, uh, what do we do?”

“You’re the only one who's ever taken on a vampire.” Liz turned to Damon. “We were hoping you could tell us.”

Izzy turned slightly, her eyes fixed firmly on Damon as the vampire seemed to be thinking this through. He took a moment, staring at the ground, before meeting her eyes and she forced a smile; knowing the look in his eyes meant he had a plan.

“Leave it with us.” Izzy told the Sheriff, turning from Damon to reassure the woman.

“Thank you. I…we…the town can’t thank you enough.” Liz told them before re-entering the house behind Izzy. “Let me know what you come up with.”

“Absolutely.” Damon promised as he showed her to the door and shut it firmly behind her.

The house was silent for a few minutes as the three vampires waited until Liz’s car had left the estate and it was then, Damon turned to a fuming Izzy.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” She wanted to laugh as he jumped slightly; not expecting the explosion from her.

“I-”

“You killed someone!” She jabbed him in the chest. “You killed someone and thought: _Hey, I won’t be here much longer; no need to cover my tracks_!” She punctuated each syllable of the last six words with a jab to his chest.

“You-”

“I swear to God, Damon; if you tell me to calm down one more time I’ll-” She let out a muffled cry as his hand covered her mouth and she fell backwards into his chest as he spun her.

“Izzy, stop interrupting me.” His voice was low in her ear as their eyes connected in the mirror hanging opposite them. They were silent as her breathing evened out and the arm around her neck that was holding her to him slackened slightly. “A) Don’t jab me in the chest, B) if I had killed someone, regardless of whether or not I was leaving; I’d have covered my tracks and C)…there’s another vampire in town.”

Izzy squeezed her eyes shut as she digested all he had said. Damon was too smart to just leave a body where someone could find it; especially after everything that had already happened here in Mystic Falls. She felt a tear escape from her shut lids and roll down her face as she realised that wasn’t all he was right about.

“Hey.” The hands covering her mouth and holding her in place vanished and instead moved to her shoulders; turning her to face the accused vampire.

“I just want to keep my family safe.” She whispered, opening her eyes slowly.

“And we will.” She glanced up to him and swallowed as the pad of his thumb wiped away the fallen tear. “I promise.”

“You’re leaving.” She reminded him. “You both are.” She turned her head to Stefan as the boy lurked in the archway leading into the foyer. “I need to do this alone.” She pushed Damon’s hands away from her.

“We can’t leave now.” Stefan told her. “We’ll find them.”

“No, _we’ll_ find them.” Damon corrected him, gesturing to himself and Izzy. “You go pack; leave the adults handle this.”

* * *

Honestly, the last person Elena had expected to find sat atop a picnic bench during her lunch break was Stefan Salvatore…and yet there he was.

“Hi.” She stared at him as he greeted her. “We need to talk.” She felt her eyebrow raise as if to say _‘oh really?’_  but nodded understandingly as she realised he wouldn’t be here unless it was important.

“What’s up?” She asked, trying to be nonchalant as she joined him at the table.

“We have a situation.” He told her. “A ‘someone is killing and feeding on the townsfolk’, situation.”

“What?” She glanced around making sure nobody was paying them any special attention. “Is Damon-”

“He says not and if you’d seen how he reacted when Iz confronted him about it…” She watched him sigh. “…I believe him.”

“So what are you doing about it?”

“Damon and Izzy are handling it…I just thought I should let you know that if you don’t see your sister today not to worry.”

“I haven’t seen my sister in two days: I’m already worried.”

“She’s been at the Boarding House.” Stefan told her with a frown. “I assumed she’d told you.”

“No.” She huffed. “I haven’t seen her since I told her you were leaving…which she took badly by the way.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, but that’s not important right now; you have any idea who the…” She dropped her voice. “…vampire is?”

“None.” She felt her shoulders drop as he spoke. “But it must be somebody new because leaving a body like that; they’re either sloppy or they’re trying to send a message.”

“And you’re sure it’s not Damon?” She couldn’t help herself from asking again; it’s not like the eldest Salvatore was trustworthy and his reaction to what she told him the last time they spoke – he didn’t seem to be above killing someone to vent a frustration.

“I’m never sure about Damon.” He told her. “But he has been trying to keep a low profile lately and the way he was with Iz this morning…” She opened her mouth to ask but he interrupted her. “…A story for another time...” He promised and she nodded. “…So it doesn’t make sense for it to be Damon.”

She watched as a battle played out over his features and she couldn’t blame him for having doubts about his brother but apparently Izzy trusted him and considering she never trusted Damon; he had to be innocent.

“They’re tracking right now.” He told her, shaking her from her thoughts. “Look…” He stood from the table and took a step back. “…I promised you the truth so I wanted to tell you…I figured you’d be safer if you knew and…”

“When I saw you; I thought you were coming to say goodbye.” She told him quickly, her eyes never moving from him as she remained at the picnic table.

“Not yet.”

* * *

“It’s taking me to some abandoned warehouse.” Izzy sighed into her hands as she held her head while Caroline continued to give them a play-by-play of her little adventure. “It’s super creepy and I don’t want to go any further.”

“Keep going Caroline.” She urged the girl. “We need an exact location so keep walking until you hit a wall.”

“Fine, but if I chip a nail I’ll-”

“And do it in silence, Care.” She groaned and thanked whatever demon that had devised their supernatural powers for the ability to add to a compulsion via phone.

“Someone’s snappy.” She rolled her eyes as Damon flopped down beside her onto the couch.

“A vampire that we had no idea was in town is murdering people and leaving a trail, sorry for not wanting to burst into ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’.” She snapped, scowling at the phone placed on the coffee table in front of her as Caroline’s steps through Mystic Falls filtered through the speakers.

“It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve hunted a vampire.”

“Yes, but I thought all my problems were leaving with you.” She told him, instantly regretting the harshness in her voice. “I mean-”

“I know what you mean.” He told her and looked away, focusing on the bourbon in his hand.

“Damon I-”

“What do I do now?” Caroline’s voice filled the room once again and Izzy scooted forward to be closer to the phone, grateful for the break in tension.

“You’re there?”

“The compass points to the warehouse no matter where I stand so…”

“Don’t move; we’ll be there in a minute.” Izzy told her, grabbing the phone and her jacket as Damon drained his glass.

“Can you hurry? I have things to d-” Izzy snapped shut the phone and, exiting the Boarding House, pushed her body into vamp speed.

* * *

“You can give me that.” Caroline jumped as Izzy and Damon appeared in front of her mere seconds after hanging up.

The girl obligingly handed the golden compass over to Damon as Izzy squinted up at the building before them.

“So, why did you need me to do this?” Caroline asked, digging her hands into her pockets as the vampires cast their eyes around the abandoned building.

“We interfere with the signal.” Izzy told her as she turned back to the girl, deciding to forgo the lesson on how a compass that tracks vampires can’t exactly be wielded by a vampire or the point would never move. “Thanks Care.”

“Can I go now? This has taken hours and I have a career fair to get to.”

“Sure Caroline.” Izzy smiled. “But first…” She pulled the girl closer to her and, cupping her chin, spoke very clearly as their eyes connected. “…forget that we asked you to do this, get back into your car and go home: you’ve spent all day trying to figure out your future without the help of some stupid fair but you’re going to go anyway because it’ll make your mom happy, okay?”

“No problem, Izzy; happy to help.” The girl replied as Izzy let her go, and with a backwards wave she disappeared into the tree line.

“Why do I get attitude when I tell her to forget something but you get: _happy to help_?”

“Because I’m nice to people.” She reminded him as they made their way to the entrance of the warehouse. “Ready?”

“Always, Sugar-pie.” He smirked as he held open the door for her.

“Sugar-pie? Really?” She snorted as they entered the dark warehouse. “That’s the best nickname you can think of?”

“I’m trying something new.” He told her as they wandered through the aisles of storage occupying the space.

“If you’re going to London you might be more inclined to try out ‘love’.” She suggested. “But that never sounds as sexy as it does in a British accent.”

“Noted.” He rolled his eyes as they fell back into silence. “Wanna Scooby-Doo this and split u-”

He was cut off as a round of bullets were fired and Izzy felt herself fall to her knees as the ammunition littered her body.

“Why does this keep happening?” She asked with a groan; falling sideways and landing on the cold warehouse floor as footsteps approached.

* * *

“Logan _freaking_ Fell.” Izzy ground out as she pushed herself into as much of a seated position as she could.

“I have tons of these wood bullets…” The former newsman told them; waving his gun around as they prodded their wounds with winces. “…so nothing funky.”

“You don’t wanna do this, trust m-” Izzy flinched as the gun fired again and Damon let out a cry as another wooden projectile embedded into his shoulder.

“That’s what you get.”

“For what?” She asked as Logan continued to stalk around them. “Why are you shooting us?!”

“You made me like this.” He snarled, crouching in front of them.

“I killed you.” Damon reminded him. “I didn’t turn you.”

“And I didn’t do anything!” Izzy added. “So get that gun away from me.” She bit out as Logan continued to let it flicker between them.

“Exactly; you didn’t do anything. You could have saved me.”

“Funny…” She snarled as her fingers dug around in one of the many bullet holes to try and alleviate some pain. “…saving you wasn’t high on my list of priorities after you gunned me down in a cemetery.” She flashed him a sarcastic grin as she pulled one of the bullets from her and let it roll away on the stone floor.

“I know what you two are.” Logan told them, eyeing the bloody bullet at her feet. “I’ve been watching you.”

“Creep.”

“I knew you’d show up here and I’m so glad you did.” He grinned maniacally at them. “Because I have some questions.”

“Me first…” Damon cut across him as he yanked a bullet from his shoulder. “…who turned you?”

“How should I know?!” Logan snarled, his face mere centimetres from Damon’s. “Last thing I remember is being about to stake dear Izzy…” He turned and winked at her. “…and then you grabbed me.” His face was back to snarling. “That’s it. Next thing I know; I wake up in the ground behind a used car dealership on Highway 4: somebody buried me.”

“Guilty.” Damon told him with a wry smile.

“You bit me.” He reminded Damon as the vampires continued to pull out the bullets with varying degrees of cursing. “It had to be you!”

“You have to have vampire blood in your system when you die.” Izzy told him as Damon inspected one of the bullets. “He bit you; not the other way around…some other vampire had to have found you and given you their blood.” She let out a sigh as she pulled the last bullet from her body and heard the light thud as both she and Damon fell backwards at the relief.

“Who?”

“That’s what I wanna know.”

“Dude, it’s not like the welcome wagon was waiting with a bundt cake and a handbook.” He rose and stood over the pair as they felt their bodies stitching back together. “It’s been a learn-as-you-go process.” Izzy let out a small laugh at his exasperation. “You know, one minute I’m a small town on-the-rise news guy and next thing, I can’t get into my house because my foot won’t go through the door!”

“You have to be invited in.” Izzy told him as Damon chuckled beside her.

“I know.” Logan bit out. “I live alone.”

“Ah, that sucks.”

“So now I’m at the Ramada; watching pay-per-view all day, eating everything in sight – including housekeeping.”

“It could be worse.” Damon offered, his voice not at all conveying sympathy.

“All I can think about is blood and killing people.” Logan ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I can’t stop killing people! I kill…” He laughed. “…and I like it…I’m so conflicted.”

“Welcome to the club, Buddy.” Izzy drawled.

“Wait a minute…” Izzy looked over as Damon pushed himself up again. “…cops only found one body.”

“I left one; I was tired.” Logan shrugged. “But I’ve been hiding the rest of them; they’re right back there.”

“You’re kidding.” Izzy groaned, pushing herself into a seated position as her eyes found what Logan was gesturing to.

She felt herself sneer as she made out the pile of bodies, stacked as neatly as possible at the back of the warehouse.  

“They’re just piling up!”

* * *

_The Promise of YOUR Future_

The words glared down at every student that passed through the High School’s gym and Elena found herself caught up in the meaning of the banner that had accosted her early that day.

Her future was something she honestly had no idea about. A few months ago she probably would have been able to sit down and just…figure it out but now, with everything going on around her? Not likely.

The future had always seemed so far away; that was the thing about small towns, they promised not to change and so, growing up was something that just happened here; no planning necessary. But hearing how Izzy spoke of her past; lifetimes of adventures behind her and even more ahead. The concept of a never-ending future was…terrifying.

She’d had to come to the realisation that her sister was never going to age and was probably going to be leaving town in the next couple of years just to avoid questions on how she managed to always look so young.

She questioned the point of planning for tomorrow; her parents hadn’t planned to drive off Wickery Bridge, Jenna hadn’t planned on uprooting her life to look after two teenagers and Iz, well Iz had never planned on becoming a lifetime member of the undead 145 years ago.

So yeah, the last few months had taught her a lot about the future, just not her own.

“Still wanna be an astronaut?” She forced a smile as she joined Matt at one of the many tables lining the corridors of the entire school – who knew Mystic falls held so many job opportunities?

“I can’t believe you remember that.” He said with a grin, shaking his head at the memories.

“I can remember the tinfoil you wore on your head.”

“I was eight.” He defended himself and Elena felt herself warm to the happy memory; it was nice to just…be sometimes.

“How are you doing?” And then she had to go and cool it all down: she wanted to kick herself for the fading smile on Matt’s face as he turned his attention back to the pamphlet before them.

“I’ve had it easier.” He told her, hands in pockets and she nodded stiffly. “You?” She shrugged at the answer; it’s not like she could spill her guts to poor Matt. “So it’s true that you and Stefan…”

“Yeah.” She answered the unspoken question “It is.” She sighed before collecting herself again and plastering on a smile. “What about you, Matt Donovan?” She nudged him teasingly. “I heard about Caroline.”

“Aw man, not you too.” He groaned. “We’re friends.” She looked at him sceptically. “It’s not a big deal.” He reiterated, following her to the stand on the opposite side of the corridor.

“No?”

“No.” She felt a retort die on her lips at the earnest look on his face.

She took a breath, ready to diffuse whatever he thought was brewing between them again when someone caught her eye.

“Stefan?”

* * *

“Why am I so overly emotional?” Izzy groaned and let herself fall back onto the floor as Logan continued his pity party. “All I can think about is my ex-girlfriend: I wanna be with her and…bite her and stuff.”

“Well…” Damon sighed. “…you probably love her. Anything you felt before will be magnified now. You’re gonna have to learn how to control that.”

“Yeah, cause if you so much as sniff Jenna, I’ll rip out your spine and beat you with it.”

She could feel them watching her as her threat hung in the air and fought a smile as Damon cleared his throat and likely turned back to Logan.

“Let’s call that incentive then.”

“What about walking in the sun? I’m a morning person.” She rolled her eyes at how many of the things he’d chosen to whine about were pointless. “You two can walk in the sun, which, by the way, is pretty cool.” She knew Damon was doing the exact same thing as her and pictured him twisting the lapis lazuli ring in an effort to hide it as she pulled up the neck of her shirt to hide her locket. “The council will never suspect you; that’s not in the journals.”

“The journals?”

“Yeah, the founding fathers; they passed their journals down to their kids.” She turned to meet Damon’s eyes as a new piece of information was revealed to them.

“The journals are just family stories.” She told Logan, sitting up. “There’s nothing in there about-”

“You gotta know where to look.” He waved off her words before resuming his line of questioning again. “How can you walk in the sun?”

“Who turned you?” Damon asked.

“How do you walk in the sun?”

“Who. Turned. You?”

“You, know…” Logan rose from his perch, wiping the dust from his jeans. “…I’ve been really nice so far, but I will kill the both of you.” He raised the gun again.

“Kill us, and you’ll never know.” Damon reminded him, pushing to his feet. “Answer my question.”

“You first!” Logan whined like a five year old; Izzy was half expecting him to stamp his foot.

“It seems we’re at a bit of an impasse then, doesn’t it?” She sighed, accepting Damon’s hand as she too got to her feet.

The air was tense as Logan faced them both off and Izzy watched his hand tighten around the gun and guessed his next move; accepting her fate with resignation.

“I have things to do; people to kill.” He told them, his jaw tight. “Guess I need a little head start.”

The gun shots were expected this time, but falling to her knees still hurt like a bitch as she watched him race from the warehouse; the sun set just low enough for him to escape. 

“He is going to _regret_ that.” She bit out as she once again plunged her fingers into her own skin, trying to fish out bullets.

* * *

She felt bad for how quickly she had abandoned Matt but there was something about Stefan’s unexpected appearance that had piqued her curiosity and now, having found a quiet corner in the bustling high school, Elena was comfortably leant against a wall and watching Stefan expectantly.

“I’m guessing you’re not here to plan the path for your future.” She asked; breaking the silence that had fallen over them as Stefan’s eyes skimmed the crowds. “You’re looking out for me.” She concluded as he finally turned his attention back to her.

“Hope that’s okay.”

“Any news on the…uh…problem?” She asked.

“No, I haven’t heard from either of them but I wouldn’t worry; they know what they’re doing.”

“Great.” She struggled to find comfort in his words and so pushed off the wall, heading for the nearest table.

Was she supposed to be okay with the fact that Izzy was used to tracking people down and likely disposing of them?

She wasn’t a fool; she knew how her sister maintained her very specific diet but she had pretty much refused to consider her sister in the same league as Damon, though she knew there were some skeletons in Izzy’s closet that more than likely solidified her at his side.

“You know…” Stefan began as he joined her at the booth advertising jobs at the hospital. “…I wanted to be a doctor before everything happened, but…uh…then I couldn’t cause…”

“The blood.” She finished for him.

“Yeah.” She noted the sigh of resignation in his voice as he dropped the pamphlet on medical school. “I’ve dabbled in a bunch of different things though.”

“Didn’t love anything enough to stick at it?” She asked, actually intrigued in this line of conversation; Stefan wasn’t one to offer up information on his past easily.

“No, I loved it all.” He told her, following her to the next table. “I just…had to move on before anybody could notice that I…wasn’t getting any older.”

“How long before that would happen?” She quickly tempered down her intrigue to that, desperately hoping he hadn’t noticed how eager she was to figure out how much longer she had her sister for.

“A few years usually.” He said, meeting her eyes. “Sometimes shorter.”

“Shorter.” She repeated to herself, her heart sinking. “And then you just…left?”

“It’s what we do.” He shrugged. “We don’t have a choice.”

She nodded solemnly at his words and pushed past him lightly, hoping to distance herself from him even a little. It was bad enough for him to just up and leave but to know that one day Izzy wouldn’t be at breakfast and instead probably on the other side of the world…

“What about you?” She turned at his words. “What are your plans for the future?” She tried to mirror his small smile but knew she failed and so let out a frustrated sigh.

“I don’t wanna talk about my future, Stefan.” She told him slightly scathingly. “Because everything you’re saying is making it perfectly clear that not only are you not going to be in it, but neither is my sister.” She waited for a beat, watching him and hoping he would correct her but…well the next she knew she was huffing and stalking away from him.

A hand on her arm made her stop and turn as she rounded a corner into a new corridor.

“It’s not that I don’t want to be in it.”

“I get it: you just cant.” She knew she was being childish; of course they couldn’t stay. “I heard you the first and second time and I appreciate you looking out for me but please, if you’re going to leave just go – let me have as much time with my family as I can.”

“Izzy isn’t going to abandon you, Elena.” He told her softly, reaching out to touch her arm as she crossed them. “She’s going to fight tooth and nail to stay in your life – trust me.”

“I-”

“Hide me.” Elena felt herself practically spring from Stefan as her aunt approached them.

“What’s going on?” She asked the red-head and knew Stefan had resumed his role of protector behind her.

“Scum Fell has landed.” Elena let out a groan at her aunt’s words.

“Logan’s here?”

“Wait…” Stefan stepped forward, the crease between his brows very clear. “…Logan Fell?”

“Is there another scummy Fell?” Jenna asked with a sigh, peering over her niece’s shoulder before hurriedly backing into the shadows again. “He’s over there.”

Elena watched Stefan step forward and his frown deepen as he spotted the news anchor happily conversing with a group of women.

“Stefan, what’s going on?” She asked, stepping away from her aunt and frowning as he and Logan exchanged a wave before the man headed straight for them.

“Jenna.” The news anchor greeted her aunt first and Elena was proud that she managed to not sneer at him in public. “Are you dodging me?”

“It’s a form of self-preservation.” The red-head drawled, clearly wishing the red cup in her hand held something more potent than homemade lemonade.

“Um, Elena, why don’t you and Jenna go somewhere else?” Elena watched the air quickly strain between Logan and Stefan and so, without another word, grabbed her aunt’s hand and dragged her away mumbling something about Jeremy and art.

Jenna seemed content with wandering around until she reached the art stand and so it didn’t take long to get her heading in the right direction before she was able to creep back to the corner Logan and Stefan occupied as they conversed tensely.

“What are you doing here?” Stefan asked, clearly done with any pretend pleasantries.

“You know, your brother and his little friend asked me the same thing.” Logan sighed. “Didn’t end that well for them so…why don’t we just skip past all that ‘who turned me’ stuff and get the only answer I want?” Elena stifled a gasp as she realised the meaning of his words. “How do I walk in the day?”

“Damon, Isabella and I are the only three I know of.”

“But you’re all very cagey on the how of it which tells me that there is a way and it’s not just a fluke.” Elena felt her heart flutter as pictures of her sisters’ treasured locket filled her mind. “You know, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m quite the celebrity in this town.” He reminded Stefan and punctuated it with a charming smile to a passing group. “It would be very, very easy for me to expose you.”

“You wanna know how you can walk in the sun?” Stefan asked and Elena frowned at how easily he was apparently going to give up this secret.

“I do.”

“You can’t.” Stefan told him as his voice dropped. “Don’t ever threaten me again.”

* * *

“How long have you known he’s been back in town?” Elena jumped as Stefan spoke without ever looking up from his phone.

She’d wondered for years how Izzy had managed to know her every movement without turning to face her but clearly vampirism was useful for more than just hunting; tracking pre-teens near curfew was one of her sister’s specialities.

“Jenna mentioned he turned up at the house last night. Before that? Nothing.”

“He came to your house?” That had clearly got his attention as his fingers stopped moving and he looked up at her, squinting as he finally seemed to realise they were outside the school. “What did he say?”

“He kept trying to convince her to let him in.” She told him, adding quickly: “She didn’t though.” He visibly sighed in relief. “He’s a vampire isn’t he?”

“It seems so.” He mused, finally lifting the phone to his ear and waiting for his call to be answered. “I’ve called you and Izzy three times.” He said, lowering the phone and placing it on speaker so they could both listen. Elena took his willingness to include her as a good sign; perhaps he was finally starting to trust her.

“Logan Fell is a vampire and when I find him again, I’m going to destroy him limb from limb.” She flinched at Damon’s clearly angry tone but smiled lightly as a new voice spoke over him:

“We.” Her sister corrected. “ _We_ are going to destroy him limb by limb.”

“What happened?” She watched as concern flooded Stefan’s face and felt a tug at her heart for how much he clearly worried about her sister and his brother despite all that was happening between them. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay.” Damon bit out. “I was ambushed, I was shot and now I’m vengeful.”

“Oh God, put a shirt on!” Izzy called out, her voice fainter than Damon’s and Elena could picture her sister’s signature sneer.

“This is _my_ room; you’re on _my_ bed and let’s not pretend you aren’t _loving_ the show.” Stefan rolled his eyes at the fake vomiting noise Izzy added before bickering began flooding from the phone. Elena grinned at the thought of this familiarity being normal for them; it was…comforting.

“Glad to see you’re friends again.” Stefan spoke over their inane argument.

“We’re not friends.” Izzy corrected him, her voice clearer as she took over from Damon as holder of the phone. “It’s a temporary truce while we track Logan.”

“Looks like it’s over then: he’s here at the school.”

“He came to the Career Fair?” Izzy asked. “Is Elena there? Oh God; Jeremy and Jenna. Get them out of there Stef and-”

“We’re fine.” Elena spoke up for the first time. “Logan seems happy to just flirt with Jenna and-”

“Get him away from her.” Izzy spoke again, her shock at her sister’s voice on the other end of the phone clearly gone for now. “If you’d heard all he was saying today…”

“You’ve been with him all day?” Stefan asked.

“I told you: ambushed, shot, _vengeful_.” Damon joined the conversation again.

“He’s working the crowd.” Stefan told them.

“I’m going to skin him.”

“I’d take her seriously; her shirt’s shredded and her hair’s a mess – beloved Isabella is on the warpath.” She laughed again as Izzy huffed. “We’ll be right there.”

“So my sister and your brother have spent the day at the hands of Logan Fell.” She mused as Stefan pocketed the phone. “This day is getting stranger and stranger.”

“Not just your average day in Mystic Falls then?” Stefan asked with a tight smile and she mirrored it; glad for the small sense of protection he offered. “Let’s get back inside.”

Nodding she followed him back into the fluorescently lit halls and shocked herself with how at ease she had been at the notion of her sister skinning the guy who used to babysit her and Jeremy.

Maybe this was becoming an average day in the new Mystic Falls.

* * *

“Caroline Forbes just got into Logan’s car.”

“Please tell me this is a joke and that girl isn’t at the hands of another murderous vampire?” Izzy asked; her jaw tight as she and Damon exchanged a look over the roof of his car.

“Afraid not.” Stefan told them – her fingers curling around the phone in her palm as Damon swung open the driver side door and slid into the car. “I’m going to-”

“You are going to stay at the school and keep an eye on everyone because he’s going to want to bait someone and it’ll either be Elena or Liz.” She told him, joining Damon in the car. “And I’m not letting either walk into a trap.”

She ended the phone call with a stab to the screen and felt her fists curl as Damon’s foot pressed down hard on the accelerator.

“They just left the school?” He asked as they reached the end of the estate’s driveway.

“Yeah.” She sighed.

“Cut off or meet them at the warehouse?” He asked, inching forward onto the road with a grin.

“Let’s have some fun with it.”

* * *

“What do you want?”

“The satisfaction of turning your daughter into a vampire.”

The SUV rolled to a gentle stop at one of the many intersections not far from the school and with the quick tap of a speaker button, Logan Fell’s car was ready to move again. It was the flinging open of his door before he was dragged forcefully onto the asphalt that stopped it from going any further.

He rolled across the road surface with a groan before instantly springing to his feet and lunging for the vampire that had attacked. Bullets forced him to his knees.

“Hey!” Izzy shouted over the gunshots as Damon continued to pump them into Logan. “We agreed to _share_ this satisfying experience!” She mock pouted as Logan continued to groan.

“Caught up in the moment.” Damon shrugged as Stefan watched on from his position still at the open car door.

“At least let me deliver the cool line?”

“It’s all yours.”

She grinned before practically skipping over to Logan and pressing a heel into his chest forcing him to fall back onto the road.

“Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it?” She smirked, leaning over him slightly to flash him a smile before straightening and looking back to the brothers. “Get her out of here.” She nodded to a slumped Caroline in the front seat of the car. “And at least try and follow instructions next time.”

“Logan?” They all turned as the panicked voice of Liz Forbes filled the air and Damon jogged to the car to retrieve the phone. “Logan what happened? Logan?!”

“Sheriff?” Damon answered the phone; his concerned civilian voice firmly in place as Izzy continued to force Logan to the floor each time he tried to rise. “It’s Damon.”

“Where is Caroline?” She asked as he straightened and they watched Stefan take the teen into his arms before speeding away.

“She’s ok; we’re on Elm Street – you’ll want to get here ASAP.” He ended the call and tossed the phone back into the car. Turning to Izzy he flashed her a grin before making his way to the trunk of the car and opening it. “Preference?” He asked as he rooted around inside.

“Something heavy.” She replied, nodding as he retrieved a tire iron. “Perfect.”

“Okay…” Damon began, closing the trunk and striding towards them; loosening his shoulders as he moved. “…we are gonna try this one more time.” He gave the iron a practice swing as Izzy forced Logan to his knees. “Who turned you?”

“I told you; I don’t know.”

“See that tire iron?” Izzy asked, squatting beside Logan; her lips near his ear. “I’ve seen him take a man’s head off with far less anger coursing through him; I can’t wait to see what he does to you.” She grinned, straightening her legs and rising to her full height. “So is that your final answer?”

“How can you side with them?” Logan asked as Damon took another practice swing.

“I don’t side with anyone.” He told him. “You pissed us off and now we want you dead.”

“Who turned you?” Izzy asked again as Damon took up a batting position.

“I don’t know!”

“You don’t?” She asked. “Oh well…” She shrugged. “…sucks that he’s going to kill you anyway.”

Damon raised the iron above his head and started to bring it down just as Logan cried:

“Wait!” The iron paused in mid-air. “I do know!”

“You’re lying.” Damon laughed. “You think I won’t do this.”

“You think you’re the only one who wants to get into that tomb under the old church?” Logan asked and Izzy felt her eyes flicker Damon as the man faltered slightly.

“Dam-”

“If you’re lying to me; I will end you.” He promised, the tire iron at his side as Izzy helplessly watched him stalk closer to Logan.

“Damon he’s-”

“I am not lying.” Logan cut across her. “There is another way to break the spell; we can help you.” She closed her eyes in disbelief as Damon bought it hook line and sinker. “Meet me at the old church.”

“For God’s sak-” She stopped as sirens blared in the distance and she realised the position they were in; they had to do this now or…

“Take us down.” She stared in disbelief as the tire iron slid from Damon’s grasp and he pulled Logan to his feet. “Make it look real.” He told him as the sirens got closer. “Make it look real!” 

She opened her mouth to tell him how stupid he was being, but felt all air escape her as hands clamped around her upper arms and flung her into what felt like a brick wall just as a car screeched to a stop.

“Where is she?” Izzy blinked blearily up at Sheriff Forbes as the woman sprinted towards them. “Where’s Logan? What happened?” She let out a groan as the brick wall she had landed on let out a matching groan of pain behind her.

“She’s okay.” Izzy promised as Liz pulled her to her feet and Damon brushed dirt off himself as he sat slumped against the abandoned car they’d been tossed into the side of. “Stefan took her home.”

“I’m sorry Sheriff.” Damon said as he got to his feet. “He attacked us and threw Izzy like a rag doll I…” He lowered his head in mock shame as Izzy glared at him. “I just wasn’t strong enough to stop him.”

* * *

She hadn’t been able to focus on anything since Stefan had raced from the school after Matt had told them Caroline had left with Logan Fell. She’d looked at every single booth in the school, made chit-chat with as many people as she could and even signed up to a few things that had been thrust at her, but nothing could shake the uneasy, knotted feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Caroline had to be okay. It just wasn’t conceivable that she was once again at the mercy of a vampire. And after hearing that her sister had been shot today? It didn’t make the likely outcome a happy one.

So when Stefan turned the corner and stepped into the corridor she was aimlessly strolling down; the knot tightened.

“Caroline?” It was all she could say by means of a question.

“She’s okay.” She let out a sigh of relief and didn’t fight it as he took her by the arm and led her to a quieter spot. “She was shaken up but all she knows is that Logan attacked her…nothing else.”

She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she contemplated how much worse this could have been if they hadn’t bumped into Matt.

“Where is he?”

“Damon and Iz are dealing with him.” He told her and she felt herself pale.

“Dealing with as in…” She trailed off as Stefan gave a short nod; her question not needing to be asked. “Oh.” She crossed her arms across her chest as she tried to picture her sister ‘dealing with’ the guy who had not only shot her but also abducted Caroline.

“You get what happened tonight, right?” Stefan asked, his fingers drumming out a nervous tune on his thigh. “I mean; you understand that this is why we can’t be together? Right?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I’m starting to understand a lot of things.” She uncrossed her arms and grasped the strap of her bag as silence hung around them. “Come on…” She nudged him. “…I’ll, uh, I’ll give you a ride.”

“I can get home.” Stefan reminded her as he glanced at the keys she fished from her bag. “It won’t take me long I-”

“I know.” She cut across him with a smile. “But…” She shrugged and jangled the keys.

“All right.” He matched her smile. “That’d be nice.”

They pushed off the wall of the still busy corridor and quietly made their way through the school and into the student parking lot.

The ride to the Salvatore Boarding House had been quiet with only the car radio and a shared love of an old country song breaking any lingering tensions. As they sat outside the huge house, the car engine silent, Elena lips quirked into a smile as they could just make out two figures arguing through a ground floor window.

“Are they always like that?” Elena asked as Izzy continued to throw her arms around as she shouted at the vampire paying her absolutely no attention as he moved to another room; her hot on his heels.

“Always.” She watched as his own smile bloomed as the pair moved out of view. “It’s strange when they aren’t bickering.” He admitted. “Having them both in town though, especially with the way they are at the minute…” He sighed. “…it’s better that we’re leav-”

“What I said before; about you leaving.” She cut across him; realising this was the only chance she was going to have to fully lay it all out for him. “It was harsh.”

“No, no.” He turned to her slightly. “You had every right,”

“You asked me what I wanted my future to be.” She said after a short silence where they were both just staring ahead. “I wanted to be a writer.” She told him. “My mom sort of pushed me into that direction from the time I was able to read. She supported me, encouraged me, bought me my first journal, and then she died…and I can’t see myself being a writer anymore.” A small weight seemed to lift from her chest as she began to talk and she realised that she hadn’t voice this to anyone before. “That was something that we shared. I know that you think you put all of this bad stuff into my life, but my life already had it. I was buried in it.”

Stefan sighed lightly as her words hung in the air and she turned to face him.

“This is different.”

“It doesn’t make it any less painful.”

“It’s not supposed to be less painful, Elena.” He turned to her again. “It’s supposed to be more safe; for you, for your family, for this town.” He paused. “We’ve been here how long? And how much has the town already suffered? Your sister’s managed to keep a low enough profile that nobody thinks twice about her and if it had been just me? Then maybe I could have stayed. But with Damon here and the three of us already caught up in so much vampire drama already…I know that it’s hard to understand…” He reached out to her and squeezed her hand. “…but I’m doing this for you; for all of you.”

He dropped her hand and exited the car in a swift second. She stared at his empty seat and felt her hand immediately cool from the lost contact and as her eyes flittered back to the windscreen where she could see him; hands in pockets as he trudged to the door, she refused to let him make this decision alone.

“No!” She called as she too exited the car; its headlights flashing twice as it locked behind her and she stalked to where he had stopped at the sound of her voice. “You don’t get to make that decision for me! If you walk away; it’s for you and you alone because I know what I want.”  She paused as she reached him and he refused to turn to her. “Stefan I love you.”

They were both still as she let the sounds of the night fill the space between them. She let her eyes close as he remained with his back to her and was readying herself to accept the humiliation of pouring her heart out to him only to face rejection when suddenly his hands were on her and his lips were on hers and she smiled into the kiss.

She wasn’t sure how or when they entered the house but her back was against the wood panelling of the foyer and his hands were everywhere as his kisses whispered apologies over and over again. She was vaguely aware of her hands removing her own scarf and jacket as he continued to kiss her all the way down the hall until they reached the staircase.

She ran her hands through his hair as they stopped and frowned slightly as he turned away from the kiss she pressed to his cheek. Knowing the change he was trying to hide from her she gently placed her hands on his face and turned him back to her.

“Don’t hide.” She whispered as he fought her hold.

“Elena…I can’t…I-”

“Yes, you can.” She let her fingers run softly over the veins around his eyes as his shoulders relaxed and he turned to her. Taking a moment to study his changed face she leant in and pressed chaste kisses to each new feature before meeting his mouth again. As they parted she smiled softly and watched the changes disappear as quickly as they came.

Reaching down for his hand she silently conveyed every promise of trust and love as she pulled at him slightly and laughed as he led her up the staircase and into his bedroom.

* * *

“We need to leave.” Izzy’s voice was barely a whisper as she loitered just inside the doorway of the Salvatore’s library. “We need to leave now.” She stressed.

“What are you-” She sped to him and clapped a hand over his mouth as his voice boomed through the room. She hissed out a _‘shhh’_ before pointing to the ceiling above where Elena’s laugh could be heard. He made a face

“Exactly.” She removed her hand. “So we are going to continue this conversation about why you let Logan Fell – the guy who tried to kill us, walk away.” She plucked the drink from his hand and drained it. “But not here; not while my kid sister is having sex with your kid brother.”

“Don’t wanna bang on the door and preach about safety?” He asked with a smirk.

“I’d love to but as I said; that’s my sister and it’s a line I don’t want to cross – I’m very pro-privacy.” She flashed him a smile that promptly faded as he refused to budge from his spot and the faint noises were starting to sound like footsteps leading to a bed. “Move, Damon.”

“Make me.”

“Stop being a child.”

“Stop being bossy.”

“I am not bossy!” She cried and clapped a hand over her own mouth as she realised the volume of her speech. “ _I am not bossy_.” She hissed. “Now get your ass in the car, or did we let Logan go for no apparent reason?” She asked smirking as he reluctantly pushed past her and headed for the front door.

* * *

“I’ve never been in your room before.” Elena mused as she contentedly leant against Stefan; his hand gently skimming her arm as she nestled further into the soft material of his shirt that she now wore.

“Hmm?” He asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she craned it slightly to look at him. “Well it hasn’t changed much over the years.”

“Do you leave everything here when you come and go?”

“It’s the only place that...that has remained constant.” He told her and she smiled softly; her eyes moving from him and flitting around the room. “This room holds every memory that I've ever thought was important enough to hold on to.” She smiled at the sentiment and snuggled further into his bare chest; happy to just let the low rumble of his voice was over her as she basked in the events of the night.

“A lot of memories.” She commented as he pressed another kiss into her hair.

“Yep.” He sighed. “I can show you some in the morning; if you’d like?” She broke out into a grin at the offer – that was twice now he’d let her into a world that he’d claimed was far too dangerous for her.

“I’d love that.” They shared her hopeful smile.

“Are you thirsty or anything?” He asked after a pause.

“A little.” She stretched in his hold and twisted to look up at him again. “You?” She internally groaned at the stupid question. “Uh...” He laughed at her face and she felt instantly better. Knowing her sister drank blood was one thing; but the guy she had just professed her love to and then…well…let close enough to feed on her…well that was another.

“I’m fine.” He assured her. “Let me get you something.”

“Ok.” She pushed up to press a kiss to his lips and smiled as she felt him deepen it slightly before pulling away and sliding out from his position behind her.

Feeling as though she could walk on air she watched him leave and then slipped from the bed. This room held so much of him – she could tell so much about who he was just by glancing around and now getting to touch the well-worn spines of books he clearly treasured and the trinkets that adorned his desk; well it was like diving straight into his being.

Her fingers grazed the edges of a rectangular box and upon finding the lid lifted easily she paused, questioning if this was overstepping. She waited for any sound of footsteps on the stairs and when she was greeted with nothing but silence, she pushed the lid back a little further until it naturally fell open.

The contents surprised her immensely and she bit back a laugh of joy as her eyes landed on the image at the top of the pile of photographs within: Stefan with his arm around Lexi as they laughed into the lens of a camera. The year this was taken was indistinguishable – they both looked exactly the same and she couldn’t make out the background.

She smiled at the photograph before lifting the pile and began leafing through them as she settled into the desk chair.

There were photos of almost every iconic world monument and sunsets and stars and she couldn’t believe how much he’d seen; how much he’d experienced. The photographs seemed to go backwards in date and soon she was finding small images of her sister tucked away between travel pictures.

Seeing her and Stefan so happy when they’d reunited a few times over the years was heart-warming and by far her favourite was what was undoubtedly an ‘action shot’ where Izzy was in Stefan’s arms; her own around his neck as a banner in the distance read: _‘Happy Not-A-Surprise, Surprise Birthday’_. There was so much she couldn’t wait to learn about them both.

The clothes changed as she got further into the pile and the poses stiffened as she held in her hands a perfect example of the evolution of photography. Her hands stilled as she came across one that was from a time when they were unquestionably human. She turned the cream card over and smiled at the loopy handwriting: _‘Stefan’s First Time with the Chamfered-Box Camera – with varying results’_. Turning the card back over she slid her finger under the worn indent in the card and pulled out a small stack of black and white images.

She recognised the huge house from the remnants of the Salvatore Estate that Stefan and Izzy had shown her and felt her eyebrows rise at the line of staff patiently smiling in the next image. It shouldn’t have been a shock; she knew they were a Founding Family and so a household staff was to be expected but…so many? Wow.

The last few were the best though. There were at least five photographs of two blurry people in varying positions as they approached the camera and its operator; the next was steady and she felt transported back into time as she stared at her sister; in a hoop skirt and ruffles as one Damon Salvatore grinned with his arm casually slung across her shoulders.

Damon’s words came rushing back to her: “ _The truth is that I wouldn’t have even looked at Katherine if Iz hadn’t lost interest in me”_. She believed him – one look at the happiness on his face in the last photograph, as Izzy laughed and he stared down at her with a look that could only described as awe, was proof enough.

She slid the photographs back into the card and wondered who this venomous woman that had ruined all their lives was. Of course, if she hadn’t ruined them and ended their human lives, then they wouldn’t be here and she wouldn’t have a sister and a…whatever she and Stefan were after tonight. But every mention of this elusive woman made her blood boil; she had wandered into their lives and turned them against each other. It was…she couldn’t describe how much she hated a woman whose hair colour she didn’t even know. She was glad she was dead.

Reluctantly she re-shuffled the photographs into the order she’d seen them and placed them back into the box. She flipped the lid back and with a soft click it sealed away some of Stefan’s treasured memories. She leant back in the seat and sighed when her eyes snagged on another cream card that had fallen to the floor.

Refusing to move from her comfortable cross-legged position on the chair, she reached down and strained for the wayward image; wondering what this one would reveal about him. Her fingers seized the edge and she slumped back into the chair as she brought it up and turned it over. Her hands stilled instantly as she caught the first glimpse of the handwriting on the front of the image card: _‘Katherine 1864’_.

She turned the card fully in a flash as she eagerly came face to face with the woman she hated – it would be god to have a face to add to the name, she hoped she was ugly.

She wasn’t.

All breath left her as she stared in horror at a photograph of a woman with glossy hair and dark, captivating eyes. The woman’s lips were upturned slightly in an almost smirk as Elena studied her features – features she was far too familiar with – features she saw every morning in the bathroom mirror.

* * *

As the dense woods surrounding the Mystic Falls cemetery had no discernible path between the trees during the day, traipsing through them in the blackness of night was something Izzy was only doing out of necessity.

“I hate how different this place looks at night.” She said; her breath coming out in smoky wisps against the freezing air. “During the day it’s so peaceful and the sun makes it look so pretty but now?” She kicked at a stray branch. “It’s eerie and all I can see is a black sky.”

“It’s quiet and has patchy leaf cover.” Damon summarised as she rolled her eyes at his blunt portrayal.

“Can’t you be whimsical about anything?” She sighed, doing a small twirl as she moved.

“I’m not the…” He shot her a look and sneered. “…whimsical brother.”

“More’s the pity.” She mumbled, wrapping her arms around herself as they neared the cemetery and questioned, not for the first time, exactly how the undead could feel the cold so harshly? “Stefan always has had a way with words; he fills those diaries with such romantic notions and-”

“You read his diary?”

“You don’t?” They shared a look.

“Touché.”

“Anyway…” She continued as they started to pass the outermost headstones that marked the border into this place. “I just find it strange how a lighting difference can give a place a different feel.” She shrugged.

They continued in silence until they reached the middle of the woodland cemetery and then merely stood, staring into the treeline, and waited for Logan to make an appearance.

“You don’t think I’m romantic?” Damon asked, breaking the silence and forcing her to turn to him.

“Am I supposed to?”

He blinked slowly at her cocked head before shrugging slightly as though accepting the comment.

“What time did he say to meet?” She asked, digging her heel into the dirt as she scanned the area for any sight or sound of the man.

“He didn’t.” He reminded her. “But he definitely should be here by now.”

“Maybe we should drop in on him?” She asked. “But let’s go via the Boarding House; there’s a shot gun I want to acquaint him with.”

“Why Miss Maxwell…” She rolled her eyes at his silky tone. “…someone is shedding their Little-Miss-Human act very quickly.”

“I don’t like it when people ambush and attack me.” She told him sweetly. “And neither do you so I still don’t get why you let the guy go.”

“He said there was another way to break the spell.” He reminded her; jaw tight as he grew impatient.

“And here I was thinking you’d let go of that ridiculous plan.” She sneered. “Do you really think Logan Fell; small town news guy, would have information on a 145 year old tomb?” She scoffed.

“I think-” He growled reply was cut short by the ringing of his phone. “Hello?” She extended her hearing as he answered.

_“I just wanted to say thank you.”_ Izzy frowned at Liz’s voice; the woman sounded strained yet relieved as she spoke. _“I don’t know how you and Izzy did it…but thank you.”_

“Um...” Damon frowned and shot her a questioning look to which she shrugged. “…not following.”

_“We found Logan’s body up by the old Fell warehouse.”_ Izzy watched as Damon swallowed hard at the news and fought a victorious grin: no more Logan and no more tomb talk. _“He’s been…disposed of.”_ She told them. _“The worst part is that he was hoarding victims; innocent victims.”_ Izzy sneered at the memory of the crude body pile.

“Sheriff I-”

_“This town owes you both so much.”_ Liz cut across him. _“I owe you so much.”_ She corrected. _“Can you pass my thanks onto Izzy? I don’t want to wake the house with this call.”_

“Of course.” He bit out and Izzy watched his free hand flex in and out of a fist as he fought to not lash out while on the line with Liz.

_“Thank you.”_ The Sheriff hung up quickly and Izzy held in a breath as Damon lowered the phone from his ear and pocketed it; his motions slow as he processed the news.

“At least it solves the problem of an uncontrollable vampire in town.” She reminded him, taking a step towards the stoic vampire. “And Logan definitely deserved it.” He lifted his head to meet her eyes. “You need to let it go, Damon.” She reached out to him. “Holding onto it…holding onto her…it’s going to kill yo-”

Her world went black a millisecond after his hands wrapped around her throat.

* * *

She hadn’t realised how quickly she was capable of dressing until she was flying down the Boarding Houses’ staircase with her keys in one hand and her jacket in the other. Stefan’s shirt was now lying in a pool on the floor of his room and she was glad she hadn’t encountered him on her way out.

Where he’d gone for one glass of water she didn’t know, but she was glad that it had taken him so long – if he’d been back before she’d taken a breath…she never would have learnt the truth. The horrifying truth.

She looked like Katherine.

And not just in a kind of familiar way. They could be twins and Stefan had known and Damon had known and…Izzy had known. She felt so betrayed. Did any of them know her because she was Elena or were they in her life because she shared the face of the woman that destroyed them?

She was so confused and the tears threatening to fall from her eyes was making her vision blur as she sped down one of the many deserted roads that ran through the sprawling woodland town.

Who was she? Was she Elena or was there some part of her that was Katherine? And who was Katherine? How could they have the same face when they weren’t even related?

Katherine Pierce was a vampire! There was no way she could have passed on facial features when she couldn’t have children!

Why did they have the same face?!

It was the only thing circling through her mind as she drove and every time the century old photograph re-entered her mind she felt her foot push down further onto the accelerator. The countryside was flashing past her in an instant now and she still couldn’t blink away those damned tears!

They had kept this from her. This huge, unexplainable thing that changed everything!

Did Stefan even like her for who she was or was it all because she had Her face? The face that changed his life and won his heart. She felt her stomach flip.

Her thoughts were on a loop.

_Elena Gilbert – Stefan Salvatore – Blink away tears – Stefan Salvatore – Katherine Pierce – Foot on accelerator – Elena Gilbert – Stefan Salvatore – Liars_

She was so distracted. She didn’t even know where she was. The guy appeared from nowhere and then…she was swerving and he hit the windscreen anyway and she was screaming and the car was rolling and then it stopped.

It all stopped.

The car was upside down and she was trapped. The seatbelt was making it hard to breathe but she couldn’t claw it away no matter how hard she tried. There was glass everywhere and something warm was trickling from her hair and then she saw it. In the side mirror. He was moving.

Him; the guy in the middle of the road who had just been standing there…he was picking himself up off the floor and snapping his bones into place.

Her breathing quickened as he got to his feet and she clawed at the belt – desperate to get away from him…from it.

He was coming closer; she could see his boots now and she knew she shouldn’t have reacted this way; she should have stayed and talked not driven and cried. She was so stupid and he was almost at the car and then there was a scream.

It was her.


End file.
